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Charged for the murder of a 15 year old
Two people were each sentenced to three years imprisonment for an arson attack in 2006 when they appeared at Woolwich Crown Court on 18th February 2008
Michael Lane, 23 years old, of no fixed address and Victoria Bathurst, also 23, and of no fixed address both pleaded guilty. At the time of the incident they were living at Sun Court, Erith.
Following an investigation by Bexley CID the court heard that the incident occurred at just past midnight on 10th November 2006 in Howbury Lane, Erith, at a detached bungalow.
A 34-year-old woman lived in the bungalow with her 13-year-old disabled son, who suffers from Muscular Dystrophy and is wheelchair bound. Their home was specially adapted to make life easier for the wheelchair.
They were not home at the time but the damage caused was extensive, with every room ablaze and the roof destroyed. Four fire brigade pumps from Bexley, Erith and Plumstead attended the scene, totaling 25 firefighters. No damage was caused to neighbouring properties.
DC John Mahoney of Bexley CID said:
“Fortunately, the resident and her son were not in the house at the time or we could have been looking at a double murder but she has lost irreplaceable treasures such as photos of her son as a baby and other mementos. They have had to move away as their home had to be destroyed, it was so badly damaged.”
“Throughout the investigation, the two defendants have never given an account of themselves and why they did what they did. We believe they got in through a rear window and deliberately set fire to several rooms.”
“They have shown no remorse and I am glad the family has been able to see justice done today.”
Police Appeal
A packed meeting of the Slade Green Community Forum earlier this month heard the London Borough of Bexley’s ideas for redeveloping the Howbury Centre site in Slade Green.
Council representatives spoke to the Forum about some of the opportunities presented by the site, and how plans for redeveloping it could stimulate the regeneration of Slade Green and meet the needs of the local community.
In response to concerns expressed by residents, Cllr John Waters, the Council’s Cabinet member for Regeneration & Housing said: “We have no plans to close the library. We envisage replacing the existing library with something similar, but exactly what form it will take will depend on the agreement we enter into with the eventual developer and the final form of the Planning Brief for the site.”
The Council has no plans to close the Howbury Centre until it has built new offices in Bexleyheath, which are currently programmed to open in Autumn 2012. The current occupiers will be able to continue to use the Centre until that time, subject to any existing arrangements and legal agreements.
Local people urged the Council to make sure that services for Slade Green’s young people, including the sports hall and community groups such as the Howbury Tumblers and pre-school, continue to be offered while the site is redeveloped.
The Council is currently reviewing the uses within the Centre, to assess how much accommodation will need to remain to meet the needs of the local community.
It has extended the period for comments on the draft planning brief at the request of people who took part in the Forum meeting. The date for formal responses was Friday 29 February, but the Council will be flexible and will consider responses received by Good Friday, 21 March.
The draft planning brief is available in Slade Green and Erith libraries and on the Council’s website at www.bexley.gov.uk/consultation. Following suggestions made at the Forum meeting, comments can now be made more easily online.
The eight-hectare Howbury site will become available for redevelopment as part of the Council’s Bexley First business transformation programme.
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