Noor Fatima and Gufran Ahmed jailed for petrol fire terror at Empire Cinema
Arson Plot Thwarted at Cinema
Noor Fatima, 24, was sentenced to nine years in prison on Friday after being found guilty of conspiring to commit arson with intent to endanger life. Gufran Ahmed, 27, pleaded guilty to the same charge and was handed eight years and nine months behind bars.
Petrol Fire Plan at Empire Cinema
Fatima was fired from Empire Cinema in July 2019. On December 1 that year, she bought five litres of petrol and headed to the cinema. Still employed there, Ahmed let her in through a fire exit. Fatima poured petrol over the fire exit door located behind two screens on the top floor but did not ignite it after fetching a lighter.
Mass Evacuation and Arrests
The strong smell of petrol forced the evacuation of around 150 customers. Thankfully, no injuries were reported. Fatima was arrested the very next day, and Ahmed was taken into custody on 5 February 2020. Both were charged on 12 December 2020.
Police Warn of Serious Danger
Detective Sergeant Thomas Harman said: “Thankfully no-one was injured as a result of Fatima and Ahmed’s actions. If the petrol had ignited, people would have rushed to the fire exit only to find that’s where the fire was and could have sustained serious injuries.”
“Fatima and Ahmed will now spend a significant amount of time in prison, reflecting how serious this incident could have been. Thanks to the cinema staff and fire service, no injuries occurred.”
