Two Shropshire firefighters in court over blazes
Two part time Shropshire firefighters appeared in court today charged over a series of fires in the county.
David Ian Pearson, 31, of Station Road, Pontesbury, Shrewsbury, and Kingsley Tolley, 36 of Valiant Road, Albrighton, appeared before Shrewsbury magistrates charged with conspiring to destroy or damage property to a value unknown in connection with a series of fires between July 1, 2014 and September 3, 2014.
The charges related to 10 vehicle and bin fires reported between those dates.
Tolley, who appeared in court wearing a blue suit and shirt, is also charged with the importation of an electric stun gun and the importation of a firearm, namely a canister containing PAVA liquid.
Both offences are alleged to have taken place on December 12, 2014.
Neither man, both of whom joined Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service as part-time fire fighters and who are currently suspended from duties, entered a plea to any of the charges.
Pearson, who was wearing a striped shirt and black trousers, and Tolley both joined the fire service as on-call fire fighters after completing an induction course at the brigade's training school in Telford in 2013.
The case against the two men was adjourned to a plea and case management hearing at Shrewsbury Crown Court on July 13.
