Arsonist Carl Richardson who torched 10 lorries in Epsom Penwarden Haulage yard says 'he was forced to do it by gang'

Carl Richardson, 35, pleaded guilty to two counts of arson on March 17, and was supposed to be sentenced at Kingston Crown Court today.

March 2016: Man pleads guilty to two counts of arson

A £15,000 reward was offered after Penwarden Haulage and Premier skip in College Road, not far from Epsom College, was torched in October 2015.

Nine of 22 lorries in the yard were burnt down beyond repair.

A Premier Skips lorry parked at the site was also burned and suffered irreparable damage.

CCTV showing the moment one of the culprits sets fire to one of the lorries while another burns in the background.

CCTV footage showed two hooded men, believed to be aged between 20 and 30, breaking into the front of the haulage yard at 3.32am on Saturday, October 3.

The pair are seen trying to open the lorries before throwing bricks at the windows and an object that sets the vehicles alight.

They then fled at around 4.15am before firefighters arrived to tackle the fires.

Residents reported being woken up by "horrendous" flames and "loud bangs" from exploding tyres.

At the time Detective Constable Karen Scholey said: "This was a dangerous and despicable act which caused an enormous loss to the company."

And Luke Penwarden, transport manager of the family business said he could not imagine why someone would target the company.

He said: "We’re not the sort of firm to upset people. In 25 years we have not upset anyone.

"I just don’t know why someone would do this.

"We are definitely going to be very secured from now on. No one will be able to get in again."

Richardson, who initially gave an address of Leatherhead, was first arrested on November 24 and bailed.

He skipped bail and an appeal was put out by police. Richardson was then arrested and charged on December 22.

Judge Andrew Campbell adjourned the sentencing until May 5 while a potential witness, who is said to be able to give mitigating evidence, is tracked down.

In a pre-sentence interview, Richardson claimed he was intimidated into the attack after falling heavily in debt to a gang.

He claims he was beaten up before and after torching the ten lorries.

Judge Andrew Campbell said: "If in effect he says 'I had to do it because I was intimidated,' and if I believe that, then it seems to me that it must surely dramatically affect the sentence.

"I will have to see if I believe it or not."

It is just the latest in a long list of offences Richardson – who has previously lived in Gateway, Weybridge and in Hurstbourne, Esher – has committed.

He stole a Bobcat mini-digger from a garden in Claygate early in the morning in April 2013, driving off with it in the back of a white van with another three men and a red Volkswagen Polo in convoy.

Despite attempts to cover their tracks by swapping the number plates on the van while stopping in Leatherhead, the car was stopped by police in Oxshott.

The van was later found in Hazelmere Close, Leatherhead, with two stolen diggers.

From April 2014: Drug addict asks to be sent to prison for his part in Claygate digger theft

After being caught stealing lead from a girls’ school in Tolworth in February 2014, he told police, “I’ve committed this offence to go to prison.”

From April 2014: Tolworth Girls' School lead thief: 'I did it so they would send me to prison'

During his sentencing for the lead theft in April 2014, Guildford Crown Court had heard how Richardson began committing offences at the age of 32, after breaking up with his long term partner and losing his job.

He also tested positive for cocaine and heroin following a drugs test at Surbiton Wellbeing Centre in September 2015.