Darren Davies, 55, has been sentenced to four years and four months in prison for arson after he deliberately set fire to his childhood home in Blackpool. The blaze, which occurred on March 27, was initiated after Davies poured petrol in the bedroom and attic and left a gas bottle inside, igniting it with a candle.

The explosion destroyed the four-bedroom bungalow, leaving only one wall standing. Davies sustained only minor injuries. In body camera footage shown to Preston Crown Court, Davies can be heard telling an officer, "it is not a gas leak, I need locking up, it was me." He also stated, "I was trying to kill myself and take my house with me."

The court heard that Davies had become increasingly paranoid that his family members intended to take the property, which he shared with his brother, Craig Davies. The house had been left to both brothers by their father. Craig Davies testified that in early 2025, his brother developed the "bizarre idea" of a secret will leaving the house solely to him, a notion Craig Davies stated was entirely his brother's invention.

Prosecutors confirmed that three gas cylinders, petrol, and a lit candle were used in the arson. While firefighters contained the blaze before it spread to neighboring properties, the force of the explosion endangered nearby residents, who were evacuated. "The force of the blast exposed people in the vicinity to a risk of life," stated prosecutor Michael O'Brien.

One witness reported seeing Davies walk from the burning bungalow and heard him say, "my family want the house, if I can't have it no one can." Davies' brother, Craig, was at work and learned of the destruction via a WhatsApp message. "His brother was left only with the personal items he had taken with him on his commute. Everything else he owned, and everything that had belonged to their parents, was destroyed," said Joanne Close of the Crown Prosecution Service.

Detective Constable Dave Pinnington of Lancaster CID noted the dangerous scene faced by emergency services. "Darren Davies' reckless actions destroyed his own bungalow and could have put many people's lives at risk in the surrounding area," he said. Davies pleaded guilty to arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered and was remanded in custody to await sentencing.