Arsonists attacked Northampton supermarket with petrol bombs while bakers worked inside, court hears

Joshua Bradley, 23, from Wellingborough and Derice Davis, 23, from Rushden, sniggered and laughed as their crimes were read out at Northampton Crown Court yesterday (March 14).

Using wine bottles full of petrol and burning socks for fuses, the pair attacked and set fire to the BestPol and Euro supermarkets in Kettering Road in April last year.

Mr Recorder David Chinery, who sentenced the two men, said: "I don't know why this building was targeted but there were men working in there at the time and their lives were in danger."

The court heard how CCTV captured the pair arriving by car and pulling into nearby Queen's Road at around 3.35am.

Minutes later, the pair threw lit petrol bombs at the first floor of the BestPol Supermarket building before escaping.

Two bakers were working inside at the time and called the fire brigade when they saw the spreading blaze. No one was hurt in the attack.

Police were able to track down and arrest the two men after they were spotted on CCTV arriving at the scene in a distinctive orange Subaru.

When officers searched the car - which they found parked outside Davies' flat - they discovered wine bottles, petrol cans, a crowbar and a sock soaked with fuel.

They both later pleaded guilty to arson and insisted they did not know anyone was inside.

The court heard that the motive behind the attack was still not known.

Mr Chinery said: "What I do know is that the lives of innocent people were at risk, with damage running into thousands of pounds."

The pair were both sentenced to five years and six months in prison.