Hertford arsonist jailed

A 41 year-old man from Hertford has been jailed after setting fire to bins in January.

Mark Lovegrove, aged 41, of no fixed abode, was senten de to nine and a half years imprisonment after he set fire to bins in St Andrews Street and Cowbridge. 

St Albans Crown Court heard that at around 2am on 12th January (2026) between Old Cross and Cowbridge, Lovegrove was walking through an alleyway between buildings.

He opened lids of bins and deliberately set fire to cardboard inside them with a lighter, as well as some rubbish bags on the floor. The subsequent fire caused significant damage to neighbouring buildings including a hairdresser, a beauty salon, and residential properties.

Hertfordshire Constabulary and Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service attended, and police located and arrested Lovegrove on nearby St Andrews Street.

On Wednesday 5th June, he was jailed for a total of nine years and six months at St Albans Crown Court after earlier pleading guilty to three counts of arson.

Lovegrove was also handed a rare 99-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO), banning him from possessing matches, lighters, or any accelerant effectively for the rest of his life.

Detective Constable Clare Halfpenny from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Hertford said: "This sentence demonstrates the seriousness of arson. Fortunately, nobody was injured during his thoughtless acts, but this could easily have been very different, had someone been nearby, especially as some of the buildings were residential.

"It is a reminder of how seriously these offences are taken by the courts. Although these offences took place in January, we should all be aware of the dangers of fire and arson, particularly during the hot and dry weather we have been experiencing throughout the summer. Arson has the potential to cause a huge amount of damage, threatening both life and property.

"Anyone who thinks setting fires is harmless should think again. Arson can have devastating consequences, and those who commit these offences can expect to be dealt with robustly."

She added: "I want to place on record my thanks to the victims who have thoroughly supported the police investigation, my officers, and the courts for such a significant sentence."

Chief Fire Officer Alex Woodman, Hertfordshire Fire & Rescue Service said: "As the Prime Minister has said, Great Britain is a tinderbox. Our crews risk their lives daily to protect the public and their property, and for someone to deliberately start fires is beyond our comprehension. If they saw the devastation they cause, the suffering they inflict and the costs borne by communities and emergency services, I would hope they would change their ways.

"At a time of heightened wildfire risk, deliberately starting fires puts lives, property and the environment at risk, while taking valuable resources away from other incidents. Prison sentences like this send a clear message that if you are prepared to be reckless with the lives of others, you will lose your liberty."