Neil Clark (left) and Marc Hitchcock (right) appeared in court today over a series of arson attacks in the Maidstone area

by Keith Hunt

Two warped firebugs who caused extensive damage in the Maidstone area and sent threatening emails to the Kent Messenger have been locked up for a total of 14-and-a-half years.

Neil Clark, 35, was jailed for 10 years and Marc Hitchcock, 20, was sentenced to four-and-a-half years youth custody.

Clark, of Surrey Road, Shepway, and Hitchcock, of Oxford Road, Shepway, admitted five offences of conspiracy to commit arson.

Clark, a married father-of-four, also admitted threatening to destroy or damage Kent Messenger offices in Middle Row, Maidstone, and plotting to destroy Kent Police Supt Andrew Rabey's home.

He further admitted perverting the course of justice by putting pressure on his then mistress Kim Trowell to retract her police statement and give him a false alibi.

Trowell, 20, of Willington Street, Maidstone, walked free with a community order after admitting perverting the course of justice by making a false statement.

The burnt out remains of Lenham Ironmongers, which was targeted on October 28, 2010

Maidstone Crown Court heard the fires were set between October 28 last year and January 30 this year at Lenham Ironmongers, Boughton Monchelsea Service Station, Warmlake Bathroom Studio, Chart Sutton, garages off Headcorn High Street and Wents Service Station, Ulcombe.

The numbers one to five were painted in yellow at each fire in chronological order.

Eleanor Laws QC, prosecuting, said an email was sent to the Kent Messenger on February 1 in which the author, calling himself "retrats erif" – "fire starter" backwards – claimed responsibility for the fires.

He expressed disappointment that more damage had not been caused and vowed to "up his game".

He threatened if the newspaper did not report him with "a decent name" he would target their offices.

On February 3 another email was sent stating he would find out where Supt Rabey lived and firebomb his home. He signed off with "Tick tock tick tock splash splash burny burny".

Miss Laws said the blaze at the ironmongers in Faversham Road, Lenham, caused £180,000 worth of damage, extending to the upstairs offices of MP Hugh Robertson. The others were less serious.

Numbers were found spray painted on the ground near the scenes of the arson attacks

police and newspaper praised

after sentencing, ch supt matthew nix of kent police said: "i'd like to pay tribute to the skill and determination of our officers who worked tirelessly to secure this conviction.

"i'd also like to express my gratitude to those at the kent messenger for their cooperation and assistance throughout the investigation.

"due to their involvement they were privy to a substantial amount of information throughout the case but kept this information back to ensure we secured the best possible conviction against the offenders."

Investigations revealed the emails came from Clark's laptop computer and had been sent using unsecured internet access. He and Hitchcock were then arrested.

The computer contained a "confessions" document, which stated: "I am a serial arsonist and soon to be murderer, just saying that makes me feel warm and excited all over…I don't feel no remorse or pity for those hurt…I do enjoy the flames…I feel like nerve ending is on fire…I think about people or burning people alive daily, once I start killing it will relief (sic) the pressure."

It made clear the next target would be a wool shop in Coxheath, which had residential flats above it.

The document added: "I decided to educate them and up the game and see if I endanger lives, or even take lives, but this one hasn't been done as yet but it will be soon…"

Passing sentence Judge Jeremy Gold QC said Clark and Hitchcock had not only caused substantial damage, they had ruined businesses.

The judge told Clark it was a course of "quite extraordinary attention-seeking behaviour" which demonstrated his satisfaction and pride in the offences.

He added he regarded Clark as "highly devious and manipulative".