Firebomber sentenced to 18 years

Wayne Taylor paid for petrol bombs to be thrown in revenge for a drugs raid on his home

A car dealer convicted of ordering firebomb attacks on the homes of two Essex Police officers has been jailed for 18 years.

Wayne Taylor, 42, paid two men to throw milk bottles filled with petrol because he blamed the detectives for "ruining Christmas" after a raid at his home.

A jury found him guilty of two counts of arson with intent to endanger life.

Taylor, of Clacton, was cleared of attempted murder and a third unrelated arson last month following a trial.

Risked nine lives

He claimed he was angered that the officers had disturbed presents under the tree while executing a search warrant on 21 December 2005.

Judge Martin Stephens said severe punishment was necessary to mark the "enormity" of the January 2006 offences which "strike at the heart of our society".

He said nine people, including a two-day-old baby, had their lives put at risk, and the impact on them had been great.

There was no other way out. I had real concerns for my family's safety Det Insp Michael Ornellas

The judge added: "This was cold-blooded, premeditated, aimed at putting wholly innocent lives in danger.

"It was only the alertness of the officers that prevented the fires taking hold."

Mark Dennis QC, prosecuting, said it was pure chance that the sleeping families of the officers were not killed during the incidents in Clacton.

"The two attacks had all the hallmarks of having been co-ordinated acts of spiteful and vindictive revenge," he said.

The court heard that none of the bombs caused a fire inside the homes. In one case, the house was protected by double-glazing, and in the other, the flames were doused.

Det Sgt Martin Brough and his wife Amanda were feeding their newborn baby when two petrol bombs and concrete slabs were thrown at the front of their home.

Det Sgt Brough told the court: "I was horrified that night, absolutely terrified... that someone should firebomb my home... I was so frightened."

Det Insp Michael Ornellas said: "I was woken by an enormous crashing sound. I could see the bottom of the stairs were alight.

Det Insp Michael Ornellas found the bottom of the stairs alight

"There was no other way out. I had real concerns for my family's safety."

Mr Ornellas managed to put the blaze out with the help of his sons and the family escaped to safety.

Mr Dennis said the raid on Taylor's home had involved opening presents under a tree and taking away credit cards.

Two men were later jailed for the attacks but Taylor was arrested last year after one of them, Jason Eagles, made a statement to police.

Eagles, now 25, was given an indeterminate sentence with a minimum term of six-and-a-half years for the two arson attacks.

Outside court, Chief Supt Keith Garnish, of Essex Police, said Wayne Taylor was motivated by a "wicked and vindictive sense of retribution".

"The attacks were indicative of his belief that he was beyond the rule of law and should be free to go about his criminal business at will," he added.