An arsonist who torched eight vehicles in three hours has been jailed.
David James Hill caused over £30,000 in damage to parked cars and motorbikes in and around Shepherd’s Bush during his fire frenzy in July this year.
He was sentenced to three-and-a-half years at Isleworth Crown Court on October 30, and also ordered to pay court and victim compensation costs, the amount of which is yet to be confirmed.
The vehicles had been parked Conningham Road, Findon Road, Westville Road, Greenside Road, Ellingham Road and Batson Road.
Police and London Fire Brigade received a number of 999 calls from the public to report five motorbikes and three cars on fire at separate locations within a one-mile radius between 11.45pm on July 25 and 2.10am on July 26.
Officers attended the scene and one spotted Hill, from Percy Road in White City , acting suspiciously. He searched the 27-year-old and found a lighter which was unusually warm.
Officers went on to search Hill’s nearby address where the lighter, his clothing and mobile phone were seized. He was arrested on suspicion of arson.
Detectives from Hammersmith and Fulham quickly established that Hill had taken moving footage of the burning cars on his mobile phone, while local CCTV footage also showed him crouching by a bike - a Piaggo moped - which he was setting alight.
Detective Constable Matt Barker said: “Hill’s callous actions could have easily led to risk and injury to himself and the public. Once Hill’s description was communicated via police radio to officers attending the location that night our team worked quickly to locate and arrest him.
“The custodial sentence passed handed to Hill sends a clear message to offenders who blight the community with crimes of this nature, that they serious and that they will pay a price behind bars.”
