Arson Spree Rocks Brighton and Woodingdean – Four Convicted
A shocking series of arson attacks swept through Brighton and Woodingdean in late 2023. After a relentless police probe, four suspects have been found guilty and handed sentences for their roles in the fires.
Blaze Timeline: Firestorm in Brighton
- September 24, 2023: A Range Rover torched outside a property in Downsway, Woodingdean.
- September 25, 2023: Flames rip through a building on Down Terrace, Brighton. A woman and her dog escape by climbing out of an upstairs window.
- Just 25 minutes later: A third fire erupts on Norwich Crescent, Brighton. Quick police action keeps damage minor.
Suspects Named and Charged
Police identified four offenders following a thorough investigation:
- Callum Radband, 26, Curf Way, Burgess Hill
- Elle-Mai Dunford, 21, Grove Road, Eastbourne
- Marcus Murphy, 28, Cantelupe Road, Bexhill-on-Sea
- Bronnie Richards, 26, Cantelupe Road, Bexhill-on-Sea
Dunford pleaded guilty on October 9, 2024.
Court Drama: Guilty Verdicts Delivered
After a tense four-week trial at Lewes Crown Court in November 2024, the verdicts came in:
- Radband found guilty of the Down Terrace and Norwich Crescent fires, but cleared over the Downsway vehicle fire.
- Richards and Murphy convicted for the Norwich Crescent blaze, acquitted of the other two.
Sentences Handed Down
- January 20, 2025: Dunford locked up for seven years and four months.
- January 20, 2025: Radband gets six years and eight months behind bars.
- February 17, 2025: Richards and Murphy handed 18-month suspended sentences and community orders.
“This was a deeply concerning series of incidents, where multiple fires were deliberately set, causing significant damage to homes and personal property,”
– Detective Inspector Emily Farley.
DI Farley praised the community’s cooperation and warned: “Such actions not only endanger lives, but also devastate the sense of safety in our neighbourhoods.”
The sentences reflect the serious nature of these deliberate acts of destruction, bringing long-awaited justice to Brighton and Woodingdean.
