We can confirm that a Lancashire man has been sentenced to 12 months in a Young Offenders Institute (suspended for 18 months) for an incident in June, in which damage was caused to the Royal Liver Building in Liverpool City Centre.
19-year-old Matthew Egglesden of Turning Lane, Scarisbrick was sentenced today (Friday 21 August) at Liverpool Crown Court after admitting arson.
On Friday, 26 June, Egglesden shot a firework at the Royal Liver Building on the Pier Head, causing a fire and significant damage.
An extensive investigation is ongoing in relation to other incidents of disorder during the evening, and more than 20 people have so far been arrested following enquiries and CCTV appeals.
Speaking after the sentence, Detective Chief Inspector Cheryl Rhodes said: “This was a disgraceful act, which could have had even more catastrophic consequences and was part of a wider gathering that night, which was marred by people intent on committing crime and anti-social behaviour.
“Egglesden will now hopefully reflect on the consequence of his actions. He caused significant damage, not only to an iconic building, but to his own future prospects, and to the reputation of this great city at a difficult time.
“Our efforts continue in identifying and putting before the courts each and every person who was involved in disorder and damage that night. A number of arrests have been made, and those people remain under investigation.
“During these difficult time, such gatherings put an unnecessary strain on our emergency services and could mean that we might not be able to get to other people who really need us. They also run the risk of increased lockdown measures. The time to celebrate fully will come again, and be well worth the wait.”
Mersey Fire Area Manager Gary Oakford said: “Not only did Mr Egglesden’s actions cause significant damage to one of the city’s most iconic buildings, but they also took valuable fire & rescue service resources away from attending other potentially life-threatening incidents. This was at a time when we and our blue light colleagues were already under extreme pressure as a result of the pandemic.
“Before you go out and carry out a crime like this or other anti-social behaviour, please think about the consequences of your actions – not just to yourself but to those around you. Now more than ever we all need to work together to protect the most vulnerable members of our communities and acts like this stop us from doing that.
If you have any information about the night in question, you can let us know by emailing Operation.Precinct@merseyside.police.uk or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. You can also send any images and video via the following link: https://unitedkingdom1cpp-portal.digital-policing.co.uk/merseyside/appeal/20000379360.
