Wimborne Arsonist Racks Up £256,000 in Damage
A Wimborne man has been locked up after a shocking arson spree caused over £256,000 worth of damage. David Robert Giddins, 45, pleaded guilty to 20 counts of arson at Bournemouth Crown Court on 26 June 2025.
Vehicle Fires Rage Across Dorset
From the night of Sunday 14 May to Monday 15 May 2023, multiple vehicle fires tore through Dorset towns including Broadstone, Wimborne, and Merley. Streets hit included Wentworth Drive, Oakley Hill, Oakley Road, Merley Way, Stour Walk, New Borough Road, Grove Road, and Leigh Road.
The blazes caused havoc, damaging 18 vehicles and several buildings. Repair costs soared past £183,000. Dorset County CID, with help from the fire service, confirmed the fires were deliberately set.
CCTV and Witnesses Nail the Arsonist
Detectives pieced together CCTV footage and victim statements to track down Giddins. He was arrested just days later on 17 May 2023. At sentencing, the court also counted six previous arson attacks by Giddins between 2018 and January 2023 in Wimborne, which clocked up an extra £73,000 in damage.
Giddins Jailed for Nearly Five Years
On 26 September 2025, Bournemouth Crown Court sentenced Giddins to four years and eight months in prison. Dorset Police hailed the detectives’ hard work in ending the terror caused by the arsonist.
