Teenage bullies jailed for killer firework attack

Mary Fox, 59, died in the fire in Bodmin, Cornwall, on Bonfire Night last year after the firework was thrust inside to "frighten" the family as part of a prank.

Her son Raum, then 17, escaped through a window of the blazing building in Wallace Road, but his mother inhaled a fatal amount of fumes.

Owen Hewitt, 18, and Samuel Luckes, 17, were each jailed for seven years at Truro Crown Court for the manslaughter of the mother of nine. They were also each sentenced to three years concurrently for committing arson being reckless as to whether Raum's life was endangered.

The pair "laughed and joked" that the burning house belonged to Raum's mother, the jury heard earlier.

A third teenager, Ryan Croft, 18, who pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing, was given five years for manslaughter and two years for arson, also running concurrently.

Opening the case to the jury earlier this month, Paul Dunkels QC, prosecuting, said: "On November 5 last year three young men were wandering around Bodmin with a large quantity of fireworks.

"They took a rocket, snapped the stick off it, lit it and put it through the letterbox of the home of Mary Fox and her son Raum at Wallace Road.

"It set fire to the house. Raum was able to escape by jumping out of the first floor window. Mary Fox could not get out. She was overcome by fumes and smoke from the fire and died."

The group did not intend such dire consequences but only wanted to "give the occupants a fright," Mr Dunkels added.

Hewitt, of Bodmin Foyer, Kestenenn and Luckes, of Rhind Street, Bodmin, had pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter of Mrs Fox, and had also denied arson.

Croft, of Wallace Road, had earlier admitted both allegations, the jury heard.

Raum had been bullied at school because of his acne and alternative dress sense, Mr Dunkels said.

When Mrs Fox escorted him to school that just made the problem worse, he added.

He said: "Raum Fox, 17 at the time, used to be bullied at school. He had bad acne on his face, and used to dress differently to other children.

"Because of the bullying, Mrs Fox used to follow him to and from school.

"Unfortunately, the protection served to mark him out for more bullying – the boy whose mother followed him to and from school."

He added: "They knew she lived at the house and put a firework through the letterbox, knowing that Mrs Fox and/or her son would be inside, intending to frighten them."

Unaware of the extent of the blaze, described by local fire crews as the most intense they had experienced, the gang went to a firework display, Mr Dunkels said.

But later, he said: ""Even though they heard what had happened, they showed complete disregard for the safety of others in the way they used the rest of the fireworks – firing fireworks at each other, and at other people who were around."

Hewitt let off a firework in a telephone kiosk and aimed one at

onlookers, he added.

The prosecution said it was a "joint enterprise" and, although they did not intend to destroy the house, they wanted to to scare the Fox family.