Young firebugs' revenge attack (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Young firebugs' revenge attack

Coun Bill Roberts who spoke out about those responsible for graffitiA WOOTTON Bassett councillor has been hit by arsonists after he spoke out against anti-social youths in the town.

Bill Roberts was sitting at home in Coleridge Close with his wife Wendy when lit paper was stuffed through the letterbox of his semi-detached house.

Two youngsters were seen running away from the house. They are believed to be aged between 10 and 14 and wore dark clothing.

Speaking to the Swindon Advertiser in August, Coun Roberts described youngsters responsible for graffiti in the town as "mindless morons with no self-respect and no respect for the community".

Later that month he also publicly backed a campaign by the town's police against drunken children.

Following the revenge attack, he said: "It was very frightening. We were sitting at home just before 10pm when I heard the letterbox rattling.

"I thought it was just junk mail but then there was a loud thump.

"I dashed out to see who was on the street and when I looked down I saw burning paper on the doorstep.

"There were two kids down the street. My wife stopped me running after them but they shouted something at me."

Coun Roberts says he cannot be sure why he was targeted.

But he said: "Putting two and two together it could be because of the newspaper stories.

"That's the first reason that springs to mind. I called them mindless morons and then I backed the police about locking 14-year-olds in the cells."

Sgt Andy Fortune, of the town's police said: "It looks like maybe this is as a result of his comments in a newspaper. We think the kids read the article.

"Somebody decided to place some paper in his letter box and set fire to it.

"The fact that no damage was caused is more by luck than judgement.

"Somebody may not have been in. His house is a semi so the neighbouring house could have burned down as well.

"We are treating this very seriously. We suspect strongly that the offenders are local and therefore somebody locally knows who has done it.

"We are really keen to catch the offenders because this could really have been something far more serious.

"Luckily Mr Roberts was in. Had he not been in then God only knows what would have happened.

"He would have come home to a shell."

Sgt Fortune said that Mr and Mrs Roberts could have been in bed

He said: "If this fire had taken hold he would have known nothing about it because he would have died of carbon monoxide poisoning.

"It sounds melodramatic but it's not, because these things have happened before.

"The consequences of their actions could have been absolutely catastrophic."

Mayor Chris Wannell, a former firefighter, said: "It's a very stupid thing for anyone to do. That is arson.

"I hope they get severely punished because they could have killed somebody. This is what you get for the lack of discipline in society.

"If you're in a public position and you make comments and somebody doesn't agree with you, people can't go around taking revenge. You approach somebody reasonably and discuss it."

Anyone with any information should contact PC Tracy Davis on 01793 852213.

David Andrew