Man jailed over fire at historic pirate radio ship

Christopher Parker has been jailed

A man has been jailed for starting a series of fires in a town including one that badly damaged a historic ship.

The LV18 - one of the last manned lightships - once hosted pirate radio projects off the coast of Essex.

Chelmsford Crown Court was told the vessel, a railway building and two vans were set on fire in Harwich on the evening of 2 February.

Christopher Parker, 34, of Alexandra Street in the town previously pleaded guilty to three counts of arson and was sentenced to five years in prison.

The LV18 lightship caught fire on 2 February

Judge Richard Wilkin described the ship as a "unique national asset".

Sentencing Parker, he said said: "You have expressed some remorse but why you acted in the twisted way you did is still unclear."

The court heard he was seen watching the fires and had spoken to police but did not at the time tell them he was responsible.

Parker was later arrested in his home, where lighters and an accelerant were found.

Emergency services attended a fire at Harwich train station earlier in the evening

Emergency services were called to the LV18 at the Quay in Harwich just after 21:00 GMT, where a firefighter said crews faced "punishing conditions with extremely high temperatures in the engine room".

Prosecutors said the blaze caused damage estimated at £250,000.

BBC Essex broadcasted from the LV18 lightship for a pirate radio anniversary in 2014

Heather O'Neil from the Pharos Trust, the ship's owners, told the court she had dedicated six years to the ship, and the incident had left her with stress and anxiety.

She said: "I feel as though my life has been totally turned upside down by the actions of Mr Parker."

The judge said a fire at Harwich railway station earlier in the evening caused damage put at £19,000 and two vans were also burnt out.

Defending Parker, Hendron Ashley told the court there was not "a good answer" as to why he carried out the attacks but said he had a history of struggling with alcohol abuse, which had been "getting out of control".