Halifax school fire: Arsonist jailed for life for attacking Ash Green Primary School

Aaron Foster’s attack on Ash Green Primary School in Mixenden in February came 18 months after he also set light to Mixenden Library, causing £180,000 worth of damage.

Foster, now 20, had denied both arson attacks but a jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts following his trial at Bradford Crown Court in July.

In a victim impact statement, Headteacher Mungo Sheppard described how "one mindless act of arson" had ripped the heart out of an entire community.

In the aftermath of the blaze, his hardworking staff had been devastated by what had happened and children, who had lost all their work, felt "heartbroken and confused".

After taking account of a psychologist’s report and Foster’s ADHD diagnosis, Recorder Simon Myerson KC concluded that he did pose a significant risk of serious harm to members of the public in the future and a discretionary life sentence was therefore appropriate.

But the judge set a minimum term of nine years in custody which Foster will have to serve before he can be considered for release if it is decided it is safe to do so.

The court heard that Foster, of Stanningley Drive, Mixenden, had savings of £15,000 due to a pay-out following an accident, but Recorder Myerson decided not to take that from by way of compensation.

The judge said the sum was “frankly a flea-bite” compared to the damage inflicted.

During the trial, the jury was shown CCTV footage of Foster breaking into Ash Green Primary School on the evening of the blaze.

Foster was captured walking around the school using the torch function on his mobile phone and carrying a lit cigarette.

A subsequent fire investigation suggested that there had been three or four seats of fire.

Prosecutor Camille Morland said the footage showed Foster going into classrooms in the Key Stage Two area and captured the moment the first fire was started.

The jury was told by Miss Morland in her opening address that at one point Foster himself phoned the emergency services claiming to be “trapped” in the burning school building and the recording of the call was played to the jury.

During the call Foster claimed his mates had suggested stealing the school iPads to get some money.

He claimed his mates had ditched him and the flames were all around him.

“All I can see is flames,” he told the control room operator. “I’m in a hallway. All I can see is flames.”

During cross-examination, Foster was accused of “playing the victim” after he went back into the already burning building and made the 999 call.

After being rescued from the building, he denied starting the fires claiming others were responsible.

Recorder Myerson said Foster had a supportive and loving family and he took the view that he had not been motivated out of “simple wickedness”.

“You are not, I think, a bad person,” he told Foster via a video link to HMP Doncaster.

But he said the arson attacks had had absolutely catastrophic consequences for the community.

“The cost to those children of having their own work destroyed, their environment literally gutted and their peace of mind disturbed by the thought that somebody had come into their building and burned it down, really because it seemed like a good idea at the time, is just incalculable,” said the judge.

The court heard that Foster had previous convictions dating back to when he was 17 and he had previously been expelled from a pupil referral unit.

Mr Sheppard said the additional work following the fire had been “exhausting” and staff had experienced insomnia and nightmares.

Read more about Ash Green School fire: Police reaction as man found guilty of torching Halifax primary school HERE