£12.8m arson case dropped
Jason Steels (33), who used to live on Old Village Street, Gunness, was charged with reckless arson at the PD Hook (Hatcheries) Ltd unit on Station Road, Gunness.
But experts now believe the fire could have been the result of an electrical fault, and the case has been dropped.
The blaze started in the early morning of July 21, 2007, at the dispatch end of the plant.
The roof of the building was totally destroyed and £12,850,000 of damage caused. Fortunately, the newly-hatched chicks had left the unit just hours before.
A total of eight fire appliances and 65 firefighters fought to tackle the inferno. And, at the height of the blaze, police cordoned off the roads surrounding the burning building.
Mr Steels denied the charge and the trial was due to start at Hull Crown Court on Monday, November 21.
But after reading a report from defence expert witnesses that the blaze could have been the result of an electrical fault, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) asked Judge John Reddihough to adjourn the date of the trial, so they could review the new situation.
But Judge Reddihough, sitting at Grimsby Crown Court, dismissed the application. And, in the light of his decision, the CPS decided to drop the case against Mr Steels.
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