Sponsored by
Old school friends jailed for arson attack on St Faith’s Church
Jason Sulley
Two old school friends caused £850,000 worth of damage when they torched a church after drinking cider.
Michael John Lill and Jason Sulley, both 23, set fire to St Faith’s Church, which was once part of Stanley Royd Asylum, in June.
And today (Friday) they were both jailed for three-and-a-half years each for carrying out the arson attack.
Leeds Crown Court was told they caused £850,000 worth of damage to the grade-II listed church, on the corner of Eastmoor Road and Aberford Road, which was thought to have been designed by renowned architect Sir George Gilbert Scott in 1861.
Lill, of Arundel Close, Wakefield, and Sulley, of Hornbeam Avenue, Silcoates Park, went into the church when they were drinking cider.
They set fire to a bundle of old bedsheets using a lighter. As the blaze spread rapidly, they were caught by police in a nearby football field.
Initially they both denied arson and tried to blame each other during their trial, which was held in December.
Passing senetence Judge Rodney Jamieson QC said: “My judgement, having listened to the evidence in this trial is as follows: you went into the church together and I have absolutely no doubt that you were both equally culpable in setting fire to it.
“This is a very serious offence indeed. It caused a great deal of economic loss and the church was regarded as part of the cultural heritage of the neighbourhood.”
Email to a friend
Print this page- Letter - Find out what is really happening in the NHS
- Wakefield’s Claire Cooper named Best Actress at British Soap Awards
- Wakefield Wildcats: Mathers set for return at Hull KR as Wildcats sweat on Poore fitness
- Wakefield Wildcats: Half-time lead not enough as Wildcats go down at Hull KR
- ‘Bribes’ being offered to fill disused £14m fire control centre in Wakefield
- Mid Yorkshire Hospitals new deadline to become Foundation Trust
- Debbie’s stilton the block after a quarter a centu-brie and “Caerphilly” going for a world record attempt
- The Hepworth Wakefield celebrates 2nd birthday with an announcement
- ‘Bribes’ being offered to fill disused £14m fire control centre in Wakefield
- Letter - Find out what is really happening in the NHS
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Wakefield
Saturday 25 May 2013
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 6 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 7 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: West
