A LONG distance trucker from Liverpool who hated the job has been jailed for seven years after he set fire to 14 of his employer The Stobart Group’s lorries over a two and a half year period.
Chester Crown Court heard how Ronald Day, from Liverpool, carried out his arson spree in various parts of the country, as his actions sparked panic among other drivers who refused to sleep in their cabs at night because they feared there may be a fault which caused spontaneous combustion.
The 53-year-old, originally from Liverpool but of no fixed abode, yesterday admitted 14 charges of arson and was jailed for seven years.
His employers, The Stobart Group, lost more than £1m — half a million in the cost of the damage, £300,000 in getting replacement vehicles to keep the business going, and the cost of a detailed probe into what was going wrong.
Martin McRobb, prosecuting, said that in September of last year Stobart investigators established that Day was the only one of its 2,000 employees who was present each time there was a fire.
They kept watch as Day went into the cab of a tractor unit in Chelmford, Stockport, with a cigarette and he was arrested.
It turned out that between January 2009 and September last year he had been responsible for setting fire to 14 lorries at the Proctor and Gamble depot in Trafford Park, Manchester; Appleton in Warrington, Crick in Northampton, Sherburn in Leeds, Chelford in Stockport and Aveley in Essex. In two of the fires, they had been deliberately re-ignited after firefighters extinguished them.
Mark LeBroq, defending, said that Day, who in 1995 was placed on probation in Manchester Crown Court for three arson attacks on the lorries owned by a previous employer, did not hold out any malice towards his employer. On the contrary, he said they had treated him very well.
But he grew to hate the job, driving up to eight hours a day and then sleeping in the cab, a lonely life called “tramping” by those who did it. He was in debt and felt that he was working all hours God sent and it was getting him nowhere.
He said Day could see no way out and acted when he was depressed and in a “distorted frame of mind”.
The court heard since the proceedings started he had renewed hope after two daughters and four grandchildren who he did not know existed had come forward and contacted him.
The Recorder of Chester, Judge Elgan Edwards, said that Day, who admitted 14 charges of arson, had simply done it “again and again and again.”
Setting fire to the trucks seems a bit OTT just because you hate your job. But it seems he has previous so looks like he is a sandwich short of a picnic. Not the actions of a sane person.
1995 was placed on probation in Manchester Crown Court for three arson attacks on the lorries owned by a previous employer
another quality stobart driver then
That might have been a bit of a problem at the application form and interview stage if the question please list previous employers and reasons for leaving came up.
i knew this would happen,i told our boss so,you cant keep pushing drivers who are used to doing a-b-a, to doing a-b-c-d-e without some breaking,i just hope they sit down and take note of whats happen to this lad.
AHT:
Certainly worrying that someone who must be sligthly unstable was behind the wheel of a truck most days
Actually it’s probably safer to have someone who’s only likely to set fire to his own wagon in the event of a bit of road rage than someone who’d committ GBH against the public instead.
Jack-knife:
do u have to have a criminal record to work for stobarts?
If the last incident was in 1995, there is a good chance that his conviction was spent, meaning he is under no obligation to disclose it on an application form or at interview.
Happydaze:
The shocking bit for me was his unknown offspring and their offspring coming forward after his exploits. I’d love to know how that conversation went.
Jack-knife:
do u have to have a criminal record to work for stobarts?
If the last incident was in 1995, there is a good chance that his conviction was spent, meaning he is under no obligation to disclose it on an application form or at interview.
Happydaze:
The shocking bit for me was his unknown offspring and their offspring coming forward after his exploits. I’d love to know how that conversation went.
Happydaze:
The shocking bit for me was his unknown offspring and their offspring coming forward after his exploits. I’d love to know how that conversation went.
Reckon they got on like a truck on fire?
Taxi!
That showed no imagination, I can’t see what you can bring to this debate…Your fired!
Happydaze:
The shocking bit for me was his unknown offspring and their offspring coming forward after his exploits. I’d love to know how that conversation went.
Reckon they got on like a truck on fire?
Taxi!
That showed no imagination, I can’t see what you can bring to this debate…Your fired!
Jack-knife:
do u have to have a criminal record to work for stobarts?
If the last incident was in 1995, there is a good chance that his conviction was spent, meaning he is under no obligation to disclose it on an application form or at interview.
Especially obviously understandable stuff like arson of previous employers’ trucks or committing GBH against a previous manager when the job gets a bit much sometimes.
