A mother and son recorded themselves "dancing" and "openly celebrating" as flames engulfed a barge they'd set fire to in a "truly despicable act".
Adam Lloyd, 36, chanted "the roof is on fire" after using a cigarette lighter to ignite a cushion on the boat, leading to the fire that completely destroyed the boat. Accompanying Adam Lloyd at the scene on the Bridgewater Canal at Canal Reach in Runcorn on September 7 last year was his mum Jackie Lloyd, 54, who moments earlier had called the barge's owner Peter Hill, her former partner, and threatened to set fire to it.
Mr Hill was out driving to Lancashire at the time when the incident happened and his home was destroyed. In astonishing footage shown to Chester Crown Court on Tuesday, the drunken mother-and-son could be seen celebrating as the fire broke out.
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Adam Lloyd could be heard gloating "oh yeah" and "fire bro", and in one shot could be seen holding a lighter flame to soft fabric. While Jackie Lloyd shouted in the background, her son said "that’s my ma by the way".
In a second clip, Adam chanted: “The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire" and his mother rambled "999 hurry up" and "999 go on".
During a moment of clarity, Adam muttered: "Oh we’re in the s***."
Peter Hussey, prosecuting, told how the fire happened a short time after Jackie Lloyd and Mr Hill's relationship ended.
He said that while Mr Hill was driving to Lancashire on the day of the arson attack, he ignored several phone calls from his ex before pulling over and answering.
At the other end of the line was Jackie Lloyd, who was "drunk" and asking about some items she thought were on the barge, and which he claimed to have with him, telling her to keep away from the boat.
She said she'd go anyway and threatened to set it on fire if he didn’t give her the items - later reported by a defence barrister to have been photographs of an uncle.
In the last call, Mr Hill heard "footsteps on metal, which sounded exactly like footsteps on the deck of the barge and she then rang off". Witnesses saw them at the barge and heard "noisy damage being caused and shouts by both of the defendants".
When one bystander protested, the "evidently drunk" mum and son gave a "fairly abusive response" - particularly Jackie, who was seen exiting the barge living quarter and throwing items in the water. They were then seen "openly celebrating" as fire "engulfed and completely destroyed Mr Hill’s barge", which was where he lived and contained his belongings.
Jackie Lloyd threatened to set another witness’s house on fire after he challenged them over the blaze. She told Cheshire Police officers the barge belonged to her, adding: "I admit it, I set it on fire".
Her son then stepped in, and said: "If you’re going to arrest anyone, arrest me, I’ll take the blame."
Fire investigators established a "naked flame" caused the inferno, which caused £45,000 and completely destroyed Mr Hill’s boat, which was insured but not for fire.
Adam and Jackie Lloyd later denied setting fire to the barge, with Adam Lloyd claiming it was an accident caused after he "accidentally dropped" a roll-up cigarette.
The pair initially pleaded not guilty to joint arson intending to damage or destroy property , but entered guilty pleas after being confronted with the damning footage filmed on the son’s phone showing them in jubilant mood in front of the burning boat.
Noting Jackie Lloyd’s messages, remarks and "celebrations afterwards", Mr Hussey said: "The crown’s case has always been that it was Adam Lloyd who actually set fire to the inside of the barge but with the encouragement and incitement of his mother."
Peter Barnett, defending Adam Lloyd, argued mitigation for the guilty plea and said his client had served at least seven months on remand.
He said Adam Lloyd was "intoxicated", which he recognised as an aggravating factor, but meant he had "limited recall" of what happened, later accepting he "foolishly recorded the offence, which puts him at fault for setting the fire".
Mr Barnett said Adam Lloyd has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and hadn’t been taking his tablets for about two months at the time because of side-effects.
His client also had a son and had been in employment with his job awaiting him on release, as well as being lightly convicted with some driving matters on his record from eight years ago.
Jeremy Rawson, appearing for Jackie Lloyd, said she had no previous convictions or addiction to drink or drugs and had pleaded guilty.
He said the arson showed an "element of an impromptu act", adding he suspected "what was going on was each defendant urging the other defendant on by their conduct, and it escalates" and "it becomes more outrageous".
Mr Rawson said Jackie Lloyd was her 84-year-old father’s carer and had raised her own children, arguing there was an "expression of remorse" via her guilty plea - albeit a claim rejected by the judge, Recorder Steven Everett who replied he wasn’t "convinced about the remorse", and told Mr Rawson: "I don’t see too much remorse".
Recorder Everett jailed both Adam and Jackie Lloyd, both of Riversdale, Frodsham, but different street addresses, to three years and four months in prison for the "truly despicable act".
He said the phone clips had a “real air of gloating”, and showed them “dancing” and “rejoicing”.
During his sentencing remarks, he said: “You decided to set fire to his barge: bad enough if it had been a barge he used for occasional holidays or weekends travelling up and down the canals of this country.
"It wasn’t just that this was his home and each of you knew it was his home, and each of you knew he’d be in serious difficulties if he lost his home, and you must have known it would cause him serious psychological harm as it clearly has, but you gave no thought to that when you Adam Lloyd were setting fire to the cushion on his barge, and you Jackie Lloyd were almost dancing with delight."
He added: "This was a nasty, mean and despicable act of revenge committed when the pair of you were drunk.
"It was an act of revenge on a man who didn’t deserve it."
A woman in the public gallery sobbed as the sentences were passed, leading to Recorder Everett asking her and a man sitting next to her to leave.
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