Man blew up house thinking he was cut out of will

A man blew up his childhood home after becoming convinced he had been blocked from inheriting it.

Darren Davies set fire to the £260,000 four-bedroom detached bungalow where he lived with his brother, Craig, in the village of Hambleton, Lancashire, following the death of their parents in 2024.

Davies' brother Craig told the court that the 55-year-old had developed a "bizarre idea" that he was the victim of a plot to deprive him of his inheritance.

He was jailed for four years and four months, having admitted at an earlier hearing arson while reckless as to whether life was endangered.

Neighbours heard a loud bang and saw glass and debris fly as the blast ripped through the house on Carr Lane on 27 March 2025.

Davies emerged from the side of the house "miraculously uninjured" and told a passer-by: "My family want the house. If I can't have it, no-one can."

He also told neighbours, police and paramedics that he had wanted to kill himself.

Prosecutor Michael O'Brien said firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control before it could spread to other properties.

Three gas cylinders had been placed in the kitchen, the front living room and one of the front bedrooms, petrol was found in the loft and a candle had been lit.

O'Brien said: "Due to the extent of the fire, it was not possible for the emergency services to determine the exact location at which the fire started.

"It was concluded that the cause was the application of naked flame to combustible materials, with an ignitable liquid used to accelerate the development of the fire.

"The force of the blast exposed people in the vicinity to a risk of life."

In a victim personal statement, Craig Davies told the court that his parents had made wills which gave an equal share of the bungalow to him and his brother.

He said he had told Davies that he wanted to sell the property and "go our separate ways" but said it "would not happen straightaway".

He said: "In early 2025, Darren developed the bizarre idea that there was a secret will signed by my dad in the last few months of his life leaving the house solely to myself.

"This was a notion entirely of his making.

"He continually accused me of being part of a plot against him."

The defendant was said to have a "long history" of mental health difficulties including diagnoses of bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety and autism spectrum disorder.

A psychiatric report from the defence concluded he was mentally unwell at the time of setting the fire when he was overcome by an "autism crisis".

Davies sent a letter to the judge in which he apologised to his brother and family, to the neighbours he "put at risk", and the village of Hambleton.

Neil Ronan, defending, said the death of his parents was said to have been a "devastating blow" for Davies who had worked "many years" in the music industry in touring with bands before he was more recently employed in telesales.

Davies had "historically failed "to understanding his mental health issues and found himself on a "slippery slope", but had since gained insight.

Ronan said the defendant had made "massive progress" in custody since receiving psychiatric treatment and medication.

Judge Parry told Davies it was "a sad and serious case" but he took into account his guilty plea at the earliest opportunity and that his responsibility was "substantially reduced by your mental disorder".

Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.