Homeless Man Sets Hotel Ablaze After False Ambulance Call
Clive Gonsalves was found guilty of arson and criminal damage after a fire ripped through the Great Western Hotel in Swindon. The 37-year-old, who was housed there by Swindon Borough Council during the Covid-19 pandemic, sparked the blaze by setting fire to his mattress in the early hours of April 7.
Fire Alarms Sound as Staff Race to Rescue
The night before the blaze, Gonsalves had made calls to ambulance services, but was checked over and found physically well. Just hours later, he set fire to his bedding, triggering the hotel’s fire alarms. Staff acted fast. They found Gonsalves lying on his bed and dragged him to safety in the car park.
The room was completely destroyed, but thanks to quick-thinking staff and the fire safety systems, the flames did not spread. Detective Constable Philip Nash praised the heroic hotel workers.
“Thankfully the other residents were out at the time. The fire safety systems stopped the blaze from spreading, but had staff not acted quickly, the result could have been much worse. Our thanks go to those brave members of staff who saved Mr Gonsalves’ life at considerable risk to themselves.”
Jail for Arsonist with a Warning
At sentencing, His Honour Judge Jason Taylor KC did not hold back:
“You placed yourself and others at risk and demonstrated the capacity to cause significant harm. It was only good fortune that further injury was not caused.”
Gonsalves was handed six years behind bars and must serve at least four before applying for parole, subject to an assessment. He will also face a victim surcharge, with the amount to be confirmed.
