Drunken arsonist jailed for Wimborne spree that torched 18 cars

A Dorset man was sentenced to four years and eight months in prison after pleading guilty to 20 counts of arson connected to a drug-fuelled spree that torched 18 vehicles in Wimborne, Dorset, in the early hours of May 14 into May 15, 2023. The attacks caused more than £183,000 in damage and left the rural market town resembling a war zone, with the charred shells of cars littering the streets.

Giddins, 45, began his night of arson around 11 p.m. and continued until about 1:30 a.m., randomly setting light to parked cars. Police and fire services logged 65 calls that night as firefighters battled the blazes.

Two incidents saw flames spreading to neighbouring buildings; in one case a family had to flee their flat in their pyjamas as the fire spread from a vehicle to the property. The fires destroyed or damaged several vehicles, including a £5,000 BMW, a £20,000 Volkswagen Passat, and a Land Rover with about £3,000 in damage. In total, the fires caused more than £183,000 in damage.

By daylight the area looked markedly different, with the night sky lit by embers and smoke and residents recounting the disruption and fear. NHS nurse Lisa Dodd, 44, was hailed a hero after she woke a terrified family by banging on a window as a Ford Ka burned in a courtyard below their flat, allowing Ruth Thompson and her two teenage daughters to escape.

Dodd’s actions and the broader community impact underscored the scale of the incident. Darren Trickett, 60, whose Land Rover Discovery was destroyed on Grove Road, described waking to the blast and watching the vehicle burn, while noting the difficulty of stopping the spread and ensuring safety for others.

At the sentencing hearing, prosecutor Simon Walters said the events constituted a campaign, not a series of isolated incidents, and affected many people beyond the listed property owners. He explained the mechanism of the fires: the arsonist set light to the front number plates, a method that often allowed the flames to take hold quickly and spread to the engine bay. While not every fire caused extensive damage, most did, and some also damaged road surfaces.

A psychiatrist described Giddins’ motive as a maladaptive coping mechanism and found him to suffer from a mixed personality disorder, gambling disorder and pyromania. The court heard that his arson spree was driven in part by an extremely rare condition, rather than calculated malice alone.

Kevin Hill, for the defense, emphasised a background of childhood trauma and a history of alcohol and drug abuse from a young age. He said Giddins has shown genuine remorse and accepts punishment for the harm caused. He noted that since the incident he has not used alcohol, substances or gambling for two years and four months and that his marriage has ended; he is currently living with his parents.

Judge Robert Pawson told the arsonist he had caused “untold misery” to innocent members of the public and that the punishment must reflect the scale of the disruption he caused. He acknowledged the defendant’s remorse and steps toward rehabilitation, but emphasized that accountability was essential.

The night of May 14–15, 2023, saw the fire service receive 65 calls and emergency responders rushing to the scene. The incident left Wimborne’s streets scarred by burnt-out vehicles and a lasting sense of vulnerability among residents, some of whom required time to recover from the shock and displacement.

In sentencing, the court balanced the defendant’s accountability with the recognition of his rehabilitation efforts and the severe impact on victims, including families who lost homes and personal belongings. Giddins was sentenced to four years and eight months in prison, a penalty the judge described as fitting for the scale and harm of the crime.