Drug rumours 'disgust' fire death mother

Vicki Cooledge said her son was a devoted family man

The mother of a man who was attacked and set on fire as he walked home from work in Hertfordshire has said she is "disgusted" by rumours he was a drug dealer.

Father-of-one Wayne Trotter, 30, of Borehamwood, was set upon by a gang of youths, doused in petrol and set alight on 5 December.

His mother Vicki Cooledge, speaking exclusively to BBC London, said her son had never been in trouble in his life.

Police checked the allegations and found they were completely untrue.

If being a devoted son, husband and father is a crime, then he's totally guilty of it

Vicki Cooledge

Mr Trotter has been described as a devoted family man with no known enemies who was "in the wrong place at the wrong time".

"There was a lot of rumours going round that Wayne was a drug dealer," Mrs Cooledge told BBC London.

"Wayne has never, ever, been in trouble in his life other than the normal childhood pranks.

"If being a devoted son, husband and father is a crime, then he's totally guilty of it."

Her son was attacked as he made his way home through the Farriers Estate after working a late shift at a north London plastics factory.

Wayne Trotter with his parents and son

On Wednesday night police questioned people along the same route Mr Trotter was taking before he was attacked.

Detective Chief Inspector Adrian Tapp of Hertfordshire Police told BBC London they had spoken to more than 300 people.

"We have a number of people to revisit, we have confirmed Wayne's route from the railway station on the bus to the Farrier's Estate.

"We have established some very important information."

Police believe three or four youths were present at the time of the attack.