Fire-starter who damaged Beatles attraction jailed

Daniel Byrne claimed he had started the fire because he was being bullied by the government

An arsonist who started a fire that damaged a Beatles attraction in the Liverpool street where the band made their name has been jailed.

Daniel Byrne, 38, was caught on CCTV on 14 July setting alight rubbish piled up outside the Beatles Museum in Mathew Street, close to where the famous original Cavern Club venue was.

When he was arrested, Byrne, of no fixed address, claimed he had done it because he was being bullied by the government.

He was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court to three and a half years behind bars for arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered.

Byrne was first seen at about 04:00 GMT carrying a sleeping bag before launching his attack.

He approached a bin full of rubbish at the side of the museum and then made several attempts to set fire to it with his lighter.

As the flames took hold, he stood back to watch and then walked away. He looked back again a few times as he made his way up Matthew Street, CCTV of the incident showed.

Danger

He told police he had been drinking vodka before the incident, which damaged the doors of the museum.

Speaking after the sentencing hearing on Monday, senior crown prosecutor Mikayla Kitchen, of CPS Mersey-Cheshire, said: "Daniel Byrne deliberately caused a fire by the Liverpool Beatles Museum.

"He remained at the scene to ensure it had caught fire, checking the extent of the damage as he walked away.

"He had no regard for the lives of people he placed in danger. This sentence reflects the seriousness of his actions on that night."