Man, 49, charged with arson over devastating fire at quaint town after he ‘torched 18 cars causing £170,000 damage’
A MAN has been charged over a horror blaze that caused £170,000 of damage after 18 cars were torched in a late-night rampage through a quaint market town.
David Giddins, 49, of Wimborne town centre in Dorset, faces 18 counts of arson following the devastating fires in the early hours of May 15, 2023.
The terrifying rampage unfolded across Broadstone, Wimborne and Merley between 1am and 2am, with horrified residents jolted from their beds as flames erupted outside their homes.
A mother and her two young daughters were forced to flee their flat in pyjamas after a Ford Ka parked directly below was set ablaze.
The fire quickly spread to their home, destroying all their possessions and leaving the family homeless.
Emergency crews rushed to multiple scenes throughout the night as 999 calls flooded in, with residents reporting loud bangs and the night sky lit up in a fiery orange glow.
By morning, the normally tranquil market town resembled a “war zone”, with charred car wrecks and smoke damage stretching across several streets.
The court heard shocking details of the damage.
One car alone was valued at £20,000, another close to £15,000.
A BMW sustained £5,000 damage, and a Land Rover £3,000.
Flames caused £11,000 damage to the Willett Arms pub, and £76,000 to the flat.
Appearing at Poole Magistrates’ Court, Giddins wore blue jeans, a dark shirt and Nike trainers. He spoke only to confirm his details and did not enter any pleas.
District Judge Orla Austin ruled the case was too serious for the magistrates’ court and referred it to Bournemouth Crown Court.
Giddins was granted unconditional bail and will return to court next month.
Residents have been left shaken by the series of attacks, which police believe were carried out in quick succession across several locations.
An NHS nurse, Lisa Dodd, 44, was praised for saving lives after she spotted the fire from her bedroom window.
She ran outside and banged on the flat’s window to wake Ruth Thompson and her daughters just in time.
She said: “If the engine had exploded and set the door on fire there would have been no way out.
I just wanted to get everyone into safety. If I had been a minute later, it doesn’t bear thinking about.”
Locals rallied around the family, launching a fundraising campaign to help them rebuild their lives.
Friend Dominique Drayson said: “They escaped just in time, but moments later they would have died.”
Neighbour Paul Deer added: “Lisa is a hero. The mum and her two daughters were fast asleep when it happened.
“They wouldn’t have had a chance.”
Residents in nearby roads also described being woken by the sound of explosions and seeing fire engines racing through town.
One woman said the heat from the flames melted paint off her front door.
Maggie Stirrup, 70, on Grove Road, said: “We saw the car next door on fire.
“My husband is in a wheelchair and I didn’t know how we’d get out if it spread.”
Darren Trickett, 60, whose Land Rover was destroyed, said: “I heard a bang and looked out the window to see my car in flames.
“I tried to open it to get the fire extinguisher, but the locks wouldn’t work. I just had to stand there and watch.”
“This sort of thing never happens here. Why would someone do this?”
Detective Sergeant Simon Austin of Dorset Police appealed for witnesses and urged anyone with home CCTV or dashcam footage to check their recordings.
He said: “These incidents have affected a large number of victims in the wider Wimborne area.
“We are making every effort to identify those responsible and will maintain visible police activity in the area.”
The Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed they received around 65 emergency calls during the three-hour period of chaos.
Crews were dispatched to numerous locations including Wentworth Drive, Oakley Hill, New Borough Road, Poole Road and Merley Ways, tackling fire after fire as the town came under siege.
Officers and firefighters continue to work closely together as investigations into the full scale of the destruction continue.
Locals say it may be a long time before the community recovers from the shock of that night.
One resident said: “Wimborne is such a peaceful place. You never expect anything like this. It felt like the whole town was under attack.”
Police are urging anyone with information to call 101 or report anonymously via Crimestoppers.