Arsonists have targeted an ex-Liverpool FC player's former mansion.
Jermaine Pennant's abandoned property on Hale Road, Hale had been converted into a cannabis farm. On Monday, October 10 at around 9.55pm, firefighters were called to the property after a blaze broke out at the detached home.
It is understood Pennant, who played for the Reds between 2006 and 2009, bought the mansion for just over £1m in 2006. Firefighters fought the flames through the night after arriving at the property near Liverpool John Lennon Airport, reports Stoke-on-Trent Live.
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A portable pump was used to get water to the fire from a nearby swimming pool. And an aerial appliance was also used to douse the roof with the fire being described as 'well developed'.
Cheshire Police have confirmed the fire is being treated as deliberate, with Detective Constable Rich Gray, of Widnes CID adding they were aware the address has "attracted a lot of attention". The property been empty since 2020 when the ex-footballer split from Stoke-on-Trent-born glamour girl Alice Goodwin, who attended Newcastle-under-Lyme School, after a string of cheating allegations.
It had been the subject of a drugs warrant carried out earlier this year where they discovered a cannabis farm and seized multiple plants. A 35-year-old man was arrested and released under investigation before being transferred to West Midlands Police.
Officers received further intelligence of a cannabis farm at the same property in September but no plants were found during their search. The scale of the latest cannabis farm was revealed on social media by an urban explorer who filmed himself wandering around the five-bedroom mansion.
Detective Constable Gray said: “We are aware that this address has attracted a lot of attention recently following the discovery of a cannabis farm in the property in September. A man was subsequently arrested in relation to the discovery, and he has since been passed to another force.
“We are currently in the early stages of this investigation and at this time, we believe that this fire has been started deliberately. Officers believe that the property was unoccupied at the time of the blaze and no injuries have been reported to us.
“As part of our investigation we are keen to hear from anyone who was in the Hale Road area between 6.30pm and 10pm and believes that they may have witnessed anything suspicious. The same goes for anyone with any video footage which may be relevant to the investigation.”
Since retiring from football, Pennant has appeared on 2018 Celebrity Big Brother and dating show Celebs Go Dating. He has now signed up for the next series of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.
Pennant, who helped the Potters reach the FA Cup final, split from former Keele University student Alice, the daughter of former Sentinel deputy editor Joanne Goodwin, after nine years together and nearly six years married.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Cheshire Police at https://www.cheshire.police.uk/police-forces/cheshire-constabulary/areas/cheshire/about-us/about-us/provide-more-information-about-an-appeal/, or on 101, quoting incident number 1385862.
Information can also be reported anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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