A DISGRUNTLED barman, who set fire to a landmark pub, risking the lives of two work colleagues sleeping there, has been jailed for six years and eight months.

Leigh Meeks, 33, caused three quarters of a million pounds damage to the Fleece Inn, at Addingham, near Ilkley, in an arson attack described as "pure revenge."

Chefs Philip Latham and Ethan Mitchell were trapped in the upstairs living quarters of the listed building pub by smoke from the blaze, and had to be rescued by firefighters using ladders.

Meeks, who had lost his bar job because of suspicions over missing money, became angry about how he had been treated and used lighter fuel and a lighter to start the fire in a cardboard box in a storeroom in the early hours. The blaze quickly spread.

Bradford Crown Court heard Meeks did not think anyone would be on the premises, but did not check.

He pleaded guilty to arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered.

Prosecutor John Bull told the court today that Meeks had been taken on as a barman at the Craven Heifer in Addingham, which was owned by the same pub company as The Fleece. But pub company director Craig Minto noticed that money began to go missing from the till shortly after employing Meeks.

The defendant, of School Lane, Addingham, was given a warning, but there continued to be financial irregularities and Meeks lost his job.

Mr Bull said Meeks, who was of previous good character, had been provided with living accommodation at The Fleece and there was a dispute over some of his belongings, which had been destroyed.

On the night of the fire, which started at around 4am on September 23 this year, Meeks had shared three bottles of wine with a friend whose flat he was staying at. He took lighter fuel and a lighter, entered the pub and went into a storeroom, where he poured the fuel on to a rag, lit it, and put it inside a cardboard box.

Mr Bull said the two chefs were asleep in the living quarters above. By the time fire crews arrived, the Grade II listed building was well alight. The chefs were trapped upstairs by the smoke and had to be rescued.

Mr Bull said the pub was gutted by the fire. It would cost £750,000 to repair and refurbish the building, and so far the pub company had lost £250,000 in revenue.

The prosecutor said the arson had been a pre-meditated act of revenge.

Meeks' solicitor advocate, Assumpta O'Rourke, said he had co-operated with police and had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity. She said he found it difficult to comprehend his actions which could have caused the deaths of his friends and workmates.

Sentencing Meeks, Judge Mark Savill said: "This was an act of pure revenge. You set the fire to generate the greatest impact on Mr Minto and gain some feeling of power and control over him. It was planned. You were in drink and went with the specific intention of setting this fire.

"There was a very real and serious risk of loss of life. Someone really could have died in this fire."

Speaking after the case, Detective Constable Gary Birch said: "The sentence today reflects the seriousness of Meeks' actions and the impact his crime has had on others.

"It also serves as a reminder about the dangers of fire and how the courts view this type of crime."

  • THE pub company boss, responsible for running The Fleece, said prison would be a "huge shock" for reckless arsonist Leigh Meeks.

Craig Minto, director of the Well Fed Pub Company, said it was a fair sentence for what Meeks set out to do.

"Everyone involved agreed he didn't set out to kill anyone - but it quickly became a very serious fire and he did endanger life," said Mr Minto.

He said he had received a letter from Meeks, via his barrister, but it did not express remorse.

Mr Minto added: "He's never been in trouble. Prison will be a huge shock. Any sentence will be a punishment."

He said the two chefs who were trapped by the blaze were still working for him, but had moved to another of the company's pubs in Leeds.

Mr Minto said: "We have renamed the pub The Phoenix, because of what happened and have moved some of the artwork there from The Fleece."

He said The Fleece would be redesigned and rebuilt, within listed building regulations. It would remain a pub and restaurant and it was hoped it would reopen next June.

He claimed thousands of pounds had gone missing from tills during the course of Meeks' employment at the Craven Heifer.