Masked man jailed for Telford arson attack in feud over stabbing

Waqar Hussain, of Chapel Terrace, Wrockwardine Wood, Telford, was one of two masked men who went to a house in Crescent Road, Hadley, on September 16, 2016, where two cars were set alight.

The arson attack had come 12 months to the day after Hussain was stabbed twice in the abdomen.

The court was told that the arson attack was the result of a feud and directed at people Hussain thought responsible for his injuries.

Judge Peter Barrie, at Shrewsbury Crown Court, said the other man, who has never been identified, poured petrol on the vehicles and set them on fire.

Hussain was found guilty of a charge of ‘arson reckless as to whether life would be endangered’, following a trial in September.

It has also emerged that while on bail for the incident he led police on a high speed chase through Birmingham before spinning and crashing a silver Vauxhall Vectra into a post.

Hussain, 26, was said to have reached speeds of 90mph in a 30mph zone, as he tried to escape an unmarked police car.

Sentencing, Judge Barrie said: “This was quite obviously an act of retribution for an incident that had taken place exactly a year earlier.”

Judge Barrie said the vehicles had been full of fuel, were close to the house, and a gas main going in to the house.

He said: “Fortunately it was spotted and stopped before the fire spread.”

The court was told a grandmother who was at the house and suffers from asthma was taken to hospital to be treated for the effects of smoke inhalation.

For the arson Hussain was sentenced to three years and six months in prison.

For the dangerous driving he will serve a six-month consecutive sentence.

For driving while disqualified he was sentenced to two months jail, to run concurrently, and for driving with no insurance there was no separate penalty.

In total Hussain was sentenced to four years custody. He was also disqualified from driving, for three years and must also complete an extended re-test to regain his licence.