Exclusive:Alcoholic set fire to Sheffield flat after complaints from long-suffering neighbours of 20 years
Wayne Squires, 56, was heard speaking about “watching the flat go up” as a “bit of fun”
An alcoholic set fire to his Sheffield flat while “struggling to deal with the level of complaints” from his long-suffering neighbours of 20 years, a court heard.
Wayne Squires, 56, was heard speaking about “watching the flat go up” as a “bit of fun” to paramedics outside as fire crews put out the flames on May 17, 2025.
Sheffield Crown Court heard Squires’ poor neighbours at Coppin Square, Parson Cross, had been complaining about his “conduct” for “many years” before he lit up the blinds in his living room.
Austin Newman, prosecuting, detailed various complaints alleged at the defendant between 2005 and 2025.
Several examples included one in which the defendant was said to have “kicked” the doors to other flats and on one occasion he was said to have broken into his own boarded up flat with a “crowbar”.
Speaking about the fire, Recorder Patrick Palmer told Squires: “I have no doubt this must have been a terrifying incident for the residents of that block of flats.”
Prosecutor Mr Newman said: “In May (2025) there had been a number of complaints by fellow residents against the defendant made to the housing authority which led to the direct involvement of a housing officer.
“On the evening of May 17 the fire services were contacted by a member of the public. On attendance they discovered a fire in the window area of the living room of the flat.
“The blinds had been set alight. The fire was extinguished, however the fire officer expressed the opinion that had the fire service not attended as promptly as it did the fire would have developed further into the flats.”
A later investigation showed “flammable items” beneath the window had been ignited with a naked flame and the flat’s fire alarm had been “tampered with” and so did not “sound” during the blaze.
Mr Newman said while crews were putting out the fire Squires gave “conflicting” accounts outside and told paramedics he had been “watching the flat go up” and it was a “bit of fun”.
The value of damage caused to Squires’ flat and water damage to communal areas caused by fire hoses came to more than £7,000, said the prosecutor.
Squires had five previous convictions for ten offences, including criminal damage, the court heard.
Pre-sentence reports showed he had been knocking back “bottles” of cider and a bottle of whiskey every day in the years leading up to the offence.
His barrister Richard Barradell said: “He had reached the point where he was not coping with his drinking and drug use and did something very foolish.
“He was struggling with dealing with the level of complaints - he is 56 and that had been his home for years.”
Recorder Palmer told Squires: “This was a block of flats that contained six flats. The background to this arrest appears to be that you had fallen out with your neighbours.
“Complaints had been made and we have heard about the difficulties there have been in the past due to your conduct over many years.”
The judge said pre-sentence reports showed Squires was an “unreliable historian”, having claimed to have never married or to have had children, which was “not true”.
Noting a prison sentence would have been 20 months and Squires would be released almost immediately having been in custody since the offence, the judge handed him 100 hours of unpaid work and a five-year restraining order.
He also ordered Squires to complete 30 rehabilitation activity days. Squires, formerly of Coppin Square, Parson Cross, admitted arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered.