The court heard that during the early hours of Friday, October 21, 2022, police received a report from Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service of a suspected deliberate ignition at a JD Wetherspoon pub on Church Street, Runcorn.
CCTV from the venue showed a man setting a fire at the rear of the premises.
Staff at the venue identified the man as Morris – who had previously been employed by the venue but had been dismissed the previous month.
Arrest
Morris was promptly arrested by officers at his home address. Clothing was seized from his bedroom which matched the description of the clothing seen on the CCTV, along with a mobile phone.
During his interview, Morris denied the allegations and told officers he was at home when the offence took place.
However, Morris’ phone was shown to be near the area of where the incident took place. He was subsequently charged with arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered.
The damage caused by Morris amounted to £1,385.
Following the incident, Cheshire Fire & Rescue stated that had the fire developed further, it would have had the potential to spread further to adjoining premises, posing a risk to life for residents.
In addition to his sentence, Morris was issued a seven-year restraining order prohibiting him returning to the venue.
Reckless actions
PC Morgan Bower said: “I am very pleased that this case has concluded, and the sentence Morris has received shows the gravity of his crime.
“Despite Morris initially denying the offence, significant evidence was obtained leaving him no choice but to plead guilty.
“I hope Morris uses this time behind bars to reflect on the recklessness of his actions.
“I also hope the sentence handed to Morris deters others from committing similar offences – you will be caught, and you will be brought to justice.”
