TWO 18-year-old students were today sent to prison after being found guilty of setting fire to a train carriage and causing £860,000 damage.

Joseph Eales and Gence Emek, both from West Wickham, had pleaded not guilty in the Croydon Crown Court to arson charges.

The charges stemmed from an incident on a train on August 11 last year when the last carriage of the 23.53 Charing Cross to Hayes service was set alight shortly before the train arrived at West Wickham station.

Last month a jury found them guilty of arson with intent to danger life.

They were both sentenced by Judge Waller at Croydon Crown Court to three years, taking into account their previous good character.

The officer leading the case, British Transport Police Det Con Malcolm McCulloch, said: “Our investigations revealed that newspapers had been placed on top of the last row of seats on the train.

"The newspaper was then lit and seat cushions were placed on top of the fire.

“The fire developed between West Wickham and Hayes resulting in £860,000 damage to the train, including major damage to the train’s electrical system.

“This was a deliberate and stupid act that could have had fatal consequences. It was a matter of luck that no-one else was in the carriage at the time and that no-one was injured in the incident."

He added: “Given the level of damage caused and how they jeopardised public safety by their actions, a jail-term was the only likely option for them.”