Monmouthshire: Man jailed for life for caravan fire murder

A man has been jailed for life for murdering his neighbour who he left to burn alive in a blazing caravan.

Darren Smith, 43, had a row with neighbour Richard Grenfell Thomas, 52, and left him "smouldering and smoking" after dousing his caravan in petrol.

Smith told another neighbour: "If he dies, he dies."

Smith who denied murder was found guilty after a trial at Cardiff Crown Court and ordered to serve at least 25 years in jail.

During sentencing, judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke said: "You said 'No one was meant to die'.

"I find that to be true but there was obviously a high risk of death by lighting a fire close, or setting fire to Mr Thomas himself while unconscious."

Smith and Mr Thomas lived next door to each other at a residential caravan park and had been on good terms before it turned into a "somewhat volatile relationship".

Three days before the murder the pair had an "altercation" at the Beeches Residential Caravan Park in Magor, Monmouthshire, where they both lived alone.

The court heard that it lead to Smith texting his mum to say: "If he does it again I would have to hurt him."

On the night of 20 December 2021, Smith assaulted Mr Thomas, leaving him injured and unable to move, before setting fire to the van.

Prosecutor Michael Jones KC said: "This defendant assaulted Mr Thomas in his own caravan, leaving him lying on the floor injured and incapacitated.

"He then set fire to the caravan using petrol and then walked away knowing Mr Thomas was injured and incapacitated and unable to get out of the caravan.

"He died as a direct result of the injuries he sustained."

Mr Jones said fellow resident Jason Pritchard was woken on the night to the sound of dogs barking and thought he saw steam coming from Mr Thomas' caravan.

Mr Jones said: "Mr Pritchard said he saw the defendant in his dressing gown walking calmly away from [Thomas'] caravan and back to his own caravan.

"Around 15 minutes later, Mr Pritchard looked out of his window again and realised that it was not steam but black smoke.

"He then went over and saw some of the glass on the caravan had been smashed and that the kitchen area was ablaze."

Cardiff Crown Court heard how Mr Pritchard ran to the burning van, found Mr Thomas "catastrophically burned" and dialled 999.

When Mr Pritchard told Smith he'd seen him in the caravan, Smith allegedly replied: "People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. If he dies, he dies."

Mr Thomas died with burns on most of his body. He also suffered blunt force injuries to the head and chest including six fractured ribs.

Mr Jones said that, when firefighters and police officers arrived, Smith tried to speak to them.

Mr Jones said: "He said he knew nothing about the fire and suggested Mr Thomas might have taken his own life."

When one officer allegedly "noticed soot" on Smith's nostrils, he denied being in the caravan and said it was from his log burner.

Police later found his dressing gown and shoes had been washed.

The victim's brother, Bryn Thomas, said in a statement to the court: "No one can put into words the pain, disbelief and anguish we felt following Richard's death.

"That horrific period of our lives remains with us daily and for the rest of our days. It will last several generations through the Thomas family.

"Richard was a much loved son, father, brother, brother-in-law, uncle and cousin. Richard's untimely passing left us broken.

"The man responsible will never be able to comprehend the impact his actions have had on our family. Our lives will never be the same again.

"There is some modicum of comfort that this violent and dangerous individual will be behind bars and not able to harm another soul."