Man torches £70k garden room after neighbour cut his grass while he was in jail


Man torches £70k garden room after neighbour cut his grass while he was in jail

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THE GARDEN ROOM WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AS THE BLAZE STARTED BY 34-YEAR-OLD JACK SUDDABY SPREAD, WITH THE NEIGHBOUR DESPERATELY TRYING TO USE A HOSEPIPE TO PUT THE FLAMES OUT 20:30, 03 Jun


2025 A man released from jail shockingly repaid the kindness of a Good Samaritan neighbour who had thoughtfully mowed his lawn - by burning down his £70,000 garden room. Jack Suddaby, 34,


from Hull, launched into a furious rant at his neighbour after discovering his act of generosity upon leaving prison in February. After Suddaby started a fire that evening, the neighbour


tried to use a hosepipe to put the flames out to try and save his garden room - but it was too late, and the blaze was out of control. Another neighbour's fence was also damaged when


the bonfire got out of control and spread, causing a risk to lives, a court heard. Suddaby admitted an offence of arson, being reckless as to whether the lives of others were endangered. He


also admitted arson by damaging the other neighbour's fence panel.David Godfrey, prosecuting, told Grimsby Crown Court that the neighbours had previously had a decent relationship over


the years. But when Suddaby returned to his property after a short time in prison, he noticed that his rear garden lawn had been cut by the neighbour - and told him off. At about 6.45pm on


February 22, Suddaby started a bonfire, and began playing loud music as he sat by the fire drinking. The neighbour went to bed in his garden room that evening, and believed that the bonfire


had been put out. Article continues below After discovering the fire was still going and had spread, the neighbour rushed out and used a hosepipe to try to stem the spread of the blaze. It


proved to be too late, and Mr Godfrey said: "The fire was out of control and there was little the neighbour could do as the garden room was destroyed." The garden room, valued at


between £50,000 and £70,000, was destroyed, along with another neighbour's fence. The fire service was called at 9.27pm, and investigators searching the scene found white vinegar and


bleach chemical.Richard Butters, mitigating, said that Suddaby did not have a fascination with fire but he had been drinking significant amounts of alcohol. He said: "That seems to be


the root of the problem. He regrets dreadfully what he did. He feels horrible about it and he is showing genuine remorse." Suddaby saw the neighbour's kind effort to cut his lawn


as "an intrusion" that was not wanted, Mr Butters said, adding: "It all blew up on the day and he had been drinking heavily" Article continues below Judge Richard


Woolfall said that the neighbour had invested heavily in his garden room, and had installed a wood burner. He said it was fortunate that the neighbour had not fallen asleep in his garden


room bed at the time of the incident.Suddaby was jailed for three years and nine months. Suddaby had previously been jailed for 14 months at Hull Crown Court after he admitted careless


driving, failing to provide a breath specimen and failing to stop after an accident on June 27, 2023.This saw him in breach of a 21-month suspended prison sentence imposed on February 3,


2023 after he admitted assaulting his ex-girlfriend, causing actual bodily harm, as well as two offences of assaulting police, and others of assault and criminal damage and two offences of


possessing drugs.