Publican jailed after arson attack

A Kent publican has been jailed for 12 years after a botched attempt to burn down his pub which ended in the death of his accomplice.

Keith Willoughby, 53, planned to use the insurance pay-off from the arson attack on the Old Locomotive pub in Canterbury to clear debts of almost £250,000, including £47,000 owed to brewer Shepherd Neame.

Taxi-driver Derek Drury, a regular at the pub, was killed in a massive explosion while helping Willoughby with the plot. The blast, in August 2002, was caused by vapour from petrol which the two used to douse the building.

At Maidstone Crown Court, Judge Warwick McKinnon sentenced Willoughby, who was convicted at a jury trial last year, to concurrent jail terms of seven years for arson and 12 years for manslaughter.

The judge said a life had been "needlessly lost" in a criminal scheme which had also put the lives of passers-by, neighbours and firefighters in danger.

He said: "This was a carefully planned offence of arson to the public house which you owned in an obvious and greedy endeavour to rid yourself of your deteriorating and depressing financial difficulties."

He said Willoughby had shown "little remorse", denying his involvement from the outset.

The court heard that Willoughby had later asked police officers if he could claim compensation for superficial injuries he sustained to his hand, thigh and leg.