Three men who set fire to a Luton estate agents while people were inside the building have been jailed

Three men who set fire to an estate agents in Luton while the residents of the upstairs flat were home have been jailed.

Glen Ratcliffe, 36, Darren Smith, 42, and Paul Mitchell, 52, started multiple fires around the building’s front entrance and rear in the early hours of August 14, 2022.

Luckily the four people living in the upstairs flat managed to escape when they realised the building was ablaze. One woman was taken to hospital but later released with no serious injuries.

CCTV footage of the night captured Ratcliffe and Smith smashing through the front window of the property and placing something on the floor, before a fire began inside. Mitchell was also caught on CCTV purchasing petrol in a jerry can from a local petrol station prior to the incident. A similar jerry can was discovered at the scene.

Additional footage showed all three individuals together earlier that night.

Ratcliffe, of Crescent Road, Luton, Smith, of St Loyes Street, Bedford, and Mitchell, of Library Road, Luton, were sentenced at the Old Bailey on Wednesday, October 18 after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life.

Both Ratcliffe and Smith were sentenced to four years in prison. Mitchell, who was found guilty of the same offence following a trial at Luton Crown Court in February, was sentenced to five years.

Detective Constable Ciaran O’Brien from Bedfordshire Police’s Criminal Investigation Department said: “This was a deliberate and dangerous act that put lives at risk, and such behaviour will not be tolerated. We are committed to ensuring the safety of our residents in Bedfordshire, and shall spare no effort in our pursuit of individuals who post a threat to our communities.”