Pair both deny setting fire which destroyed Wakefield church

A disused church which was due to be turned into flats was almost completely destroyed when a fire was started inside, a jury heard.

Developers paid ?285,000 in 2007 for the Hospital Church of St Faith beside Pinderfields Park in Wakefield but on June 18 this year smoke was seen billowing from the building, Adrian Strong prosecuting told Leeds Crown Court yesterday.

A man playing football called the emergency services and also pointed out to police two men he had seen leaving the area of the church.

That led to the arrest nearby of Michael Lill and Jason Sulley who accepted going inside after they had been drinking together. Each denies starting the fire and blames the other.

Mr Strong told the jury: ?The only thing in dispute is between the defendants themselves as to who is responsible.?

?The Crown?s case is we say it doesn?t matter whether it was one of them or both of them, the two of them were together and they acted together, they went inside together, they left together and came back and watched what was going on together.

?We say quite simply both were responsible for the fire.?

Lill, 23, of Arundel Close, Wakefield, and Sulley, 23, of Hornbeam Avenue, Silcoates Park, Wakefield, both deny arson of the church belonging to Linfit Investments.

Mr Strong told the jury the blaze was found to have started when either material or cardboard inside was set alight. It rapidly spread and destroyed the roof, timber pews and other fittings inside leaving what remained to be demolished because it was unsafe.

Det Con James Eve told the jury when Lill was first interviewed he said the pair had gone inside to explore after finding a window unblocked and denied the church was on fire when they left.

But later when told Sully was blaming him for starting the blaze by setting light to some sheets, Lill said it was Sully who was responsible for starting the fire when he was not looking.

Sully told officers in interview; ?I told him not to but he used to light fires all the time when he was younger.?

Lill told his counsel Robin Frieze in evidence he had lit about 50 campfires out of doors to keep warm when he was about 13 or 14 but had not done that for years.

He said he had not seen Sully start the fire in the church but Sully had borrowed his lighter and had been in the area where it started.

The trial continues.

Source: http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/pair-both-deny-setting-fire-which-destroyed-wakefield-church-1-5237229

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