Scott Goulding, 24, was seen climbing through a smashed window of the fast-food restaurant in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, at around 1.20am on January 4. He was captured on CCTV loitering around the area before smashing the window, entering the premises, and fleeing with a bagful of food. The break-in was discovered the following morning when restaurant staff arrived to find a broken window.
In the CCTV footage, Goulding is seen pushing himself through the hole in the window of the restaurant’s drive-thru area. He briefly disappears into another room before re-emerging with a brown paper bag containing food.
Two days later, emergency services were called to a flat in Shireoaks Court, Mansfield, at around 5.30am after residents reported a fire. Residents were forced to flee from their properties, with one woman jumping out of a window to safety.
Goulding was found lying on the floor outside the block of flats, passing in and out of consciousness. Witnesses reported that Goulding had apologized to them moments earlier, admitting to torching the flat.
Fire investigators determined that Goulding had made a makeshift bonfire in the corner of his flat using a Christmas tree, a mattress, and two tables.
Goulding pleaded guilty to burglary and arson and was sentenced to three years and four months in prison at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday, April 19.
Detective Constable Kate Hardy, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Officers on duty that night used their instincts to quickly identify Goulding as a suspect in both these incidents. Arson is always an extremely serious and reckless offense, but to set fire to a flat in a residential area shows a blatant disregard for the life of other people living in that block of flats and the wider neighborhood. If the flames hadn’t been brought under control so quickly, this fire could have had catastrophic consequences. It is only through good fortune that no one was seriously injured or worse. We also take break-ins on businesses very seriously because of the impact they can have on staff. It is an unpleasant experience to come into work and discover the premises have been broken into overnight. I am pleased the judge has seen fit to give Goulding a prison sentence, and I hope he uses this time to reflect on his reckless actions.”
