Arsonist set man on fire after targeting his flat and BMW during night attack

An set a flat and car onin an attack in the early hours of the morning which left a man with horrific burns. The 51-year-old victim sadly died six months later, although this was not directly linked to the incident.

He had suffered 30 per cent burns in the attack on April 24, 2022 at St Luke's Court, Heneage Road, Grimsby. Ryan Tomney, 29, of Normandy Road, Cleethorpes, admitted arson with intent to endanger life and causing grievous bodily harm. Prosecuting at Hull Crown Court, Jeremy Evans told how CCTV footage showed Tomney and another man getting into a blue Ford Ka vehicle on Dame Kendall Grove, Grimsby and arriving at St Luke's Court at around 5.30am.

While the engine to the car was left running, Tomney was filmed spraying accelerant through an open kitchen window of the ground floor flat. He set three seats of fire, first through the kitchen window before going to the rear car park and igniting a BMW. He also set fire to a front living room after smashing the window.

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Mr Evans said there were 15 residents in the block of flats, many of them elderly and one of whom was wheelchair bound. A woman who was staying with the victim raised the alarm when a smoke detector sounded, reported .

The victim emerged from his flat wearing only his boxer shorts and Tomney threw accelerant on to him causing him to roll around on the ground in the entrance way inside the flats.

"There was some ignition on his shorts. There were a number of residents, who had the presence of mind to pour water on him," told Mr Evans. He said 30 per cent of his body was burnt and he was taken to hospital and later transferred to the specialist burns unit at Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield. He spent five days in intensive care with treatment for burns to his back, arms, buttocks and left leg.

Mr Evans told the court the Crown Prosecution Service did not lay the cause of the man's later death at the hands of the defendant otherwise the charges would have been more serious. He died in November, as the result of a drugs overdose, after becoming more reliant upon drugs, he said. The victim required skin grafts and had extreme pain as a result of the injuries.

Mr Evans told how Tomney had 43 offences recorded against him including arson, robbery and affray. In 2018, a fire was started on Hainton Avenue, Grimsby when petrol was poured down chimney pots.

Tomney was jailed after being at the centre of a rooftop stand-off when police attempted to arrest him. On April 28, 2022 emergency services threw a cordon around Lincoln Boulevard in Grimsby and led a nine-hour stand-off after Tomney set fire to property and threw tiles and bricks at vehicles and police.

That stand-off cost residents thousands of pounds in damage and said the cost to the force in manpower was in excess of £36,000 and involved 40 members of staff. The overtime bill ran to over £3,700, a previous court hearing was told. Tomney was jailed for five years in March 2023.

Mitigating, Tim Savage submitted a letter from the long-term partner of the defendant. He said his client had made a lot of progress while in custody. He added he had gone through a difficult and deprived background but had "a determination to address his offending behaviour."

"Rehabilitation is a real possibility and he has been using his time well (in custody)" said Mr Savage. He also submitted a written letter of apology from the defendant. Sentencing Tomney, Judge John Thackray KC said the offences at St Luke's Court had a significant level of planning, involving a balaclava disguise and accelerant.

"You set fire knowing he was in there and set fire to his car and when he left the building you set fire to him. I have watched the CCTV footage. It is shocking, indeed horrific to watch," he said. "It must have been terrifying for him and his female friend. It caused horrendous injuries and you made the remainder of his life a misery. He was in significant pain."

He added he was impressed with the progress the defendant had made while in prison. He acknowledged his difficult background. Tomney is already serving a sentence for affray which has a release date of March 2030. He jailed the defendant for life because of the danger he poses to the public. He will serve a minimum term of eight years before being considered for parole.

Judge Thackray said Tomney had been assessed as at a high risk of danger to the public and imposed a life term in prison. That means he will be on licence for the rest of his life when he is released after eight years, with the approval of the parole board.

Mr Evans said after the hearing “This was a targeted and callous attack with complete disregard, not only for the victim but also the other people in the block of flats. Today’s sentence recognises he poses a significant risk to members of the public in the future and will now provide the protection required until he is considered not to be such a danger.”

He added “Our thoughts go to members of the victim’s family who, it is hoped, will find some comfort in the sentence at court today.”

Officer in the case, Detective Constable Scott Jackson said: “Tomney is a violent individual who attended the flat with one motive – to cause significant harm. The value of damage caused to the flat at St Luke’s Court totalled over £15,000, but that is nothing compared to the suffering caused to the man injured in the incident.

“I’d like to thank the members of the public who tried to assist the man with his injuries before emergency services arrived, not knowing the significant damage that had already been caused. Tomney was completely reckless, and I am reassured that he is now behind bars and no longer poses a risk to the wider community. I hope this sentencing serves as a stark warning to anyone else considering committing such horrendous crimes.”