Shropshire firefighter pair are suspended after being charged over fires
Two on-call firefighters have been suspended from duty by Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service after being charged in connection with fires in the county.
David Pearson, 31, from Station Road, Pontesbury, near Shrewsbury, and Kingsley Tolley, 36, from Valian Road, Albrighton, have been charged with conspiracy to damage or destroy property in connection with a series of fires in Shropshire between July 1, 2014 and September 3, 2014.
The charge relates to 10 vehicle and bin fires reported between these dates.
Electrician Pearson and Tolley are both part-time firefighters who joined the service as on-call firefighters after completing an induction course at the brigade's training school in Telford in 2013.
Tolley has also been charged with importing of goods with intent to evade prohibition in relation to a separate incident.
Tolley has worked as a dementia nurse in Dawley, Telford, and has served as a combat medical technician in war zones after joining the Army as a teenager.
The service's deputy chief fire officer Rod Hammerton said: "I can confirm they are employees of ours and we have been made aware that two of our employees have been charged with criminal offences.
"The two individuals have been suspended from duty pending the outcome of court proceedings.
"We have worked with the police during the investigation. We are not able to make any further comment at this time."
The two men have been bailed to appear at Shrewsbury Magistrates Court on April 28
.
