Couple convicted of life-threatening arson (From Daily Echo)
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Dean and Melynda Thomas convicted of arson at The Tollhouse Inn pub in Lymington
12:24pm Thursday 13th December 2012 in Crime
By Jon Reeve, Education Reporter
Dean and Melynda Thomas
A COUPLE have today been convicted of starting a life-threatening fire in their own Hampshire pub in an insurance scam.
Jurors at Southampton Crown Court unanimously convicted Dean and Melynda Thomas of arson after hearing they were thousands of pounds in debt because their business at The Tollhouse Inn in Lymington was struggling.
The pair had attempted to make the fire look like a malicious break-in and burglary, claiming nearly £3,000 cash had gone missing.
Jurors agreed with prosecution claims Dean Thomas, 42, started the blaze, which caused £100,000 worth of damage at the Southampton Road watering hole, in the early hours of the morning, while his step-daughter, her boyfriend and a cook were asleep upstairs.
Judge Peter Henry warned the former publican, who was also convicted of attempting to pervert the course of justice, he is now facing a “lengthy” prison sentence.
Both Dean Thomas and 36-year-old Melynda Thomas, who was found guilty on the basis she knew about and aided the attempted insurance scam, were remanded in custody while reports are prepared ahead of sentencing in January.
During the trial, jurors were shown secretly-filmed footage of the couple arguing after searching a spot where police had earlier discovered a holdall containing petrol and clothes covered in fragments of glass from windows broken on the night of the blaze.
Comments(15)
verwoodsaint
says...
2:43pm Thu 13 Dec 12
Cyber__Fug
says...
2:57pm Thu 13 Dec 12
sammiee19 wrote:Is that what they told you or have you been in court listening to all of the evidence ?
They never did it!!! The police failed to mention that both doors where barricade for the outside! Dean had a stroke a few days before the fire affecting his right side! And there was a 3rd DNA profile on the deans garden clothes!!!! This is a case of 2 incent people wrongly accused!!! If they did do it then someone explain how dean managed to get set the fire, run outside get changed come back in and then baricade the door from the outside all before the fire alarm went off!!! Bare in mind he had a stroke days before!!! MEL AND DEAN DIDN'T DO THIS!!!!!
hulla baloo
says...
3:00pm Thu 13 Dec 12
sammiee19 wrote:And you know this because...........?
They never did it!!! The police failed to mention that both doors where barricade for the outside! Dean had a stroke a few days before the fire affecting his right side! And there was a 3rd DNA profile on the deans garden clothes!!!! This is a case of 2 incent people wrongly accused!!! If they did do it then someone explain how dean managed to get set the fire, run outside get changed come back in and then baricade the door from the outside all before the fire alarm went off!!! Bare in mind he had a stroke days before!!! MEL AND DEAN DIDN'T DO THIS!!!!!
Did you go and offer them your services and knowledge as a defence witness?
Graeme Harrison
says...
3:21pm Thu 13 Dec 12
sammiee19 wrote:So what if the police failed to mention it? Mel and Dean could have talked about it to their hearts content when they were giving evidence.
They never did it!!! The police failed to mention that both doors where barricade for the outside! Dean had a stroke a few days before the fire affecting his right side! And there was a 3rd DNA profile on the deans garden clothes!!!! This is a case of 2 incent people wrongly accused!!! If they did do it then someone explain how dean managed to get set the fire, run outside get changed come back in and then baricade the door from the outside all before the fire alarm went off!!! Bare in mind he had a stroke days before!!! MEL AND DEAN DIDN'T DO THIS!!!!!
sarfhamton
says...
3:25pm Thu 13 Dec 12
Al Murray, Pub landlord
aPint4me
says...
3:50pm Thu 13 Dec 12
The pub has now reopened with a young focussed team and a great menu!
I wish them every success.
Of the Ilk
says...
3:55pm Thu 13 Dec 12
sammiee19 wrote:The evidence presented by the prosecusion and the defence left the jury with no reasonable doubt that they did set the fire.
They never did it!!! The police failed to mention that both doors where barricade for the outside! Dean had a stroke a few days before the fire affecting his right side! And there was a 3rd DNA profile on the deans garden clothes!!!! This is a case of 2 incent people wrongly accused!!! If they did do it then someone explain how dean managed to get set the fire, run outside get changed come back in and then baricade the door from the outside all before the fire alarm went off!!! Bare in mind he had a stroke days before!!! MEL AND DEAN DIDN'T DO THIS!!!!!
Over the Edge
says...
4:11pm Thu 13 Dec 12
sammiee19 wrote:What a load of BS,,,,,the film of them running around looking for the bag clothes (the police already had evidence of his involvement) is something to be seen, no woman of that size should wear lycra leggins,,,, hilariously funny,,,,I think the police should have given her an extra charge of wearing offensive clothing
They never did it!!! The police failed to mention that both doors where barricade for the outside! Dean had a stroke a few days before the fire affecting his right side! And there was a 3rd DNA profile on the deans garden clothes!!!! This is a case of 2 incent people wrongly accused!!! If they did do it then someone explain how dean managed to get set the fire, run outside get changed come back in and then baricade the door from the outside all before the fire alarm went off!!! Bare in mind he had a stroke days before!!! MEL AND DEAN DIDN'T DO THIS!!!!!
solomum
says...
4:13pm Thu 13 Dec 12
sammiee19 wrote:It's not the Daily Echo readers that you need to convince, but the judge and jury. If they really did not do it, then I sincerely hope that the person responsible is found and brought to justice, but based on the evidence before the courts, it would appear that the judge and jury are sure that they did.
They never did it!!! The police failed to mention that both doors where barricade for the outside! Dean had a stroke a few days before the fire affecting his right side! And there was a 3rd DNA profile on the deans garden clothes!!!! This is a case of 2 incent people wrongly accused!!! If they did do it then someone explain how dean managed to get set the fire, run outside get changed come back in and then baricade the door from the outside all before the fire alarm went off!!! Bare in mind he had a stroke days before!!! MEL AND DEAN DIDN'T DO THIS!!!!!
Over the Edge
says...
4:18pm Thu 13 Dec 12
solomum wrote:Sorry to be pedantic but the Judge doesn't decide guilt, he presides to see that the evidence is given in line with the law and then pass sentence.
sammiee19 wrote:It's not the Daily Echo readers that you need to convince, but the judge and jury. If they really did not do it, then I sincerely hope that the person responsible is found and brought to justice, but based on the evidence before the courts, it would appear that the judge and jury are sure that they did.
They never did it!!! The police failed to mention that both doors where barricade for the outside! Dean had a stroke a few days before the fire affecting his right side! And there was a 3rd DNA profile on the deans garden clothes!!!! This is a case of 2 incent people wrongly accused!!! If they did do it then someone explain how dean managed to get set the fire, run outside get changed come back in and then baricade the door from the outside all before the fire alarm went off!!! Bare in mind he had a stroke days before!!! MEL AND DEAN DIDN'T DO THIS!!!!!
They're as guilty as sin, the evidence was there for all to witness.
Hdg end mo
says...
5:54pm Thu 13 Dec 12
Over the Edge wrote:Bang them up for being ugly
solomum wrote:Sorry to be pedantic but the Judge doesn't decide guilt, he presides to see that the evidence is given in line with the law and then pass sentence.
sammiee19 wrote:It's not the Daily Echo readers that you need to convince, but the judge and jury. If they really did not do it, then I sincerely hope that the person responsible is found and brought to justice, but based on the evidence before the courts, it would appear that the judge and jury are sure that they did.
They never did it!!! The police failed to mention that both doors where barricade for the outside! Dean had a stroke a few days before the fire affecting his right side! And there was a 3rd DNA profile on the deans garden clothes!!!! This is a case of 2 incent people wrongly accused!!! If they did do it then someone explain how dean managed to get set the fire, run outside get changed come back in and then baricade the door from the outside all before the fire alarm went off!!! Bare in mind he had a stroke days before!!! MEL AND DEAN DIDN'T DO THIS!!!!!
They're as guilty as sin, the evidence was there for all to witness.
The Mad Dog
says...
9:00pm Thu 13 Dec 12
sammiee19 wrote:SO, what your saying is that a "3rd person" maybe stole Deans "garden clothes" then broke into the pub, stole a couple of grand that was lying around, set fire to the bar, got out, changed out of Deans "garden clothes" and which this "3rd person" then hid in a holdall in the garden.
They never did it!!! The police failed to mention that both doors where barricade for the outside! Dean had a stroke a few days before the fire affecting his right side! And there was a 3rd DNA profile on the deans garden clothes!!!! This is a case of 2 incent people wrongly accused!!! If they did do it then someone explain how dean managed to get set the fire, run outside get changed come back in and then baricade the door from the outside all before the fire alarm went off!!! Bare in mind he had a stroke days before!!! MEL AND DEAN DIDN'T DO THIS!!!!!
What I am not sure about is how Dean & his 'lovely' wife knew where the holdall was and why they went looking for it and why they seem to get so upset when they cannot find it? (watch all of the video, its a laugh)
I'm inclined to believe the story, as reported in the Echo by their Court Reporter (who would have actually been in Court and listening to all the evidence) and believe that the jury came to the correct decision. GUILTY!
Pikey-Biker
says...
4:34pm Mon 7 Jan 13
sammiee19 wrote:well I think you find they did, why not come and reply on the recent forum on this topic
They never did it!!! The police failed to mention that both doors where barricade for the outside! Dean had a stroke a few days before the fire affecting his right side! And there was a 3rd DNA profile on the deans garden clothes!!!! This is a case of 2 incent people wrongly accused!!! If they did do it then someone explain how dean managed to get set the fire, run outside get changed come back in and then baricade the door from the outside all before the fire alarm went off!!! Bare in mind he had a stroke days before!!! MEL AND DEAN DIDN'T DO THIS!!!!!
mischeif98
says...
1:41pm Tue 8 Jan 13
sammiee19 says...
2:38pm Thu 13 Dec 12