Petrol bomb 'thrown at neighbour's car' on Bonfire Night, court told

A vinegar bottle containing petrol was thrown at the vehicle which was parked outside the owner's home in Churchstoke, near Montgomery, in November 2013.

The vehicle, a Seat Leon, was parked in New Terrace, when it was engulfed in flames.

Laura Griffiths, 28, who lives in New Terrace and co-defendant William Smith, 44, of Langdale Avenue, Wrexham, both deny arson.

Mold Crown Court was told yesterday by prosecutor Jayne La Grua that police found the cap for a vinegar bottle in Griffiths' home.

A piece of yellow material found in the boot of a car, in which it is alleged the couple fled, was said to match a torn piece of yellow material used as a wick.

The jury was told that the petrol bombed car belonged to Justin Davies, a neighbour of Griffiths. That evening, he and his partner had taken their children to watch a firework display.

A lorry driver in a nearby supermarket car park saw a petrol bomb being thrown and saw the silhouette of a person moving off.

It was dark and he could not say if it was male or female. There was an immediate explosion and flames, the court heard.

The bottle was found close to the vehicle with the remains of the wick in the neck of the bottle.

Police searched Griffiths' house and found the cap of a vinegar bottlewhich fitted the bottle that had been used. There was a strong smell of fuel at the side of the house and a petrol can was found just inside the back garden.

Griffiths was arrested at her father's home.

Later that night her Vauxhall Vectra was found abandoned in Minsterley, near Shrewsbury. It was damaged and the keys were still inside. A holdall in the boot contained male and female clothing and a piece of yellow cloth, a portion of which was missing. It was found to be "a perfect match" for the material used as the wick.

In a prepared statement, Griffiths said that she knew nothing about the offence.

She confirmed that the holdall was hers but she knew nothing of the yellow cloth. Others had access to her car, she said.

A can of lager found at Griffiths' house had been found to have Smith's DNA on it, the prosecutor said. He gave no comment when interviewed. Phone records showed he had phoned Griffiths at about the time of the incident.

An hour later her phone was in the Shrewsbury area where it was used to call a taxi and then to call her father. A taxi driver had attended but the woman said her father was coming to pick her up instead.

A police camera captured Griffiths' father's car travelling to the location.

"The prosecution say that one or both of these defendants set fire to the car before fleeing the scene in the car, which was abandoned after a collision," said Miss La Grua.

The trial continues.