Jail for arsonist who preyed on South Yorkshire hotel and hospital

Homeless drug addict Thomas Ashcroft, 35, was accused by a judge of “sheer premeditated wickedness” for putting innocent lives at risks by targeting NHS hospitals.

He set the fires to cause a distraction before rifling through tills to help fund his £250-a-day crack cocaine and heroin addition.

He admitted arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered and burglary at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital and the Hilton Hotel in Sheffield on August 30 and July 15 respectively.

Ashcroft - who has appeared in court 65 times for 150 offences - also pleaded guilty to committing the same crimes at the Medway Maritime Hospital in Kent on August 29.

He asked for eight further matters to be taken into consideration relating to arsons and burglaries at other hospitals, hotels and a visitor attraction across Britain.

Jailing Ashcroft at Canterbury Crown Court today, Judge James O’Mahony said he will serve eight years behind bars and be subject to an extended licence for four years.

Prosecutor Martin Yale said Ashcroft’s reign began when he was released from prison last summer after being sentenced to 12 months for burglary.

On July 14, just weeks after his release, he burgled Rotherham District General Hospital in South Yorkshire.

The following day, he set fire to a quilt in a housekeeping storage room at the Hilton Hotel in Sheffield, triggering the automatic sprinkler system, which flooded the area.

As water cascaded through the ceiling and guests were evacuated, Ashcroft stole £132 from a till behind the bar. Seven rooms suffered water damage.

It cost more than £1,200 to restore the sprinkler system and guests who had their stay interrupted had to be compensated, resulting in a total loss to the hotel of more than £3,000.

Days later, on July 20, Ashcroft’s probation officer issued a recall notice after he failed to abide by the conditions of his release.

But the following day, he targeted the Midland Hotel in Manchester, torching a cleaner’s trolley, which resulted in another evacuation.

With the coast clear, he dipped his hand in a till in the beauty parlour before escaping through fire doors - but was captured on CCTV, which later helped identify him.

Ashcroft’s campaign was interrupted when he was arrested for shoplifting in Blackburn, Lancashire, on July 26 and returned to custody before being released just under four weeks later.

He then travelled south to the Sussex coast, and on August 26 set fire to a quilt at the Royal Albion Hotel in Brighton, prompting its evacuation. He went on to steal £75 from a till, Mr Yale said.

The following day, Ashcroft visited the Sealife Centre visitor attraction in Brighton where another fire was set and he stole £50 from a till. Later the same day, he set fire to clothes at Brighton’s Dome and, following the evacuation, stole £82 from the cafe.

Also that day, Mr Yale said Ashcroft travelled to the Hilton Hotel at Gatwick Airport where a quilt was set alight but nothing was stolen. However, hundreds of pounds of damage was caused.

Defence counsel Peter Forbes told the court that Ashcroft did not suffer from any mental illness but had a “fundamental personality disorder”.