Arsonist Jailed for Setting Fire That Could Have Killed Family
Declan Gilluley, 26, has been locked up for six years after he sparked multiple fires in a Mansfield Woodhouse home last October. The reckless blaze could have ended lives.
Fire Started in Early Hours
Gilluley was staying at a property on Cox’s Lane when he placed firelighters on an armchair and settee downstairs, setting them alight in the early hours of October 22, 2023. He initially claimed he woke to the fire and fled with others inside.
Guilty Plea and Harsh Sentence
He later admitted starting the fires. At Nottingham Crown Court on Friday, Gilluley pled guilty to reckless arson and was sentenced to six years behind bars, plus an extra four years on licence.
Police Condemn Dangerous Act
“Gilluley’s actions that night were reckless in the extreme,” said Detective Constable Gareth Peace of Nottinghamshire Police. “He set several fires downstairs as his victims were sleeping above him and could easily have cost multiple people their lives.
“I am pleased that he later accepted full responsibility for what he did and that he is now serving a significant jail sentence.”
