Cross Hills blaze - arson charges dropped (From Craven Herald)

Cross Hills blaze - arson charges dropped

3:41pm Saturday 4th February 2012 in News

Three men accused of arson following an explosion at an industrial unit in Cross Hills have had the charges dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service.

The trio had been due to stand trial later this month after a fire in March last year at the Speedy Hire Centre in Skipton Road, which led to road closures and trains being stopped.

Yesterday prosecutor Howard Shaw told Judge Peter Benson, sitting at Bradford Crown Court, that since the case was last in court in December the Crown had considered its position and considered the strength of the evidence in quite some detail.

Mr Shaw said a conclusion had been reached that there was no realistic prospect of a conviction against the three defendants.

During yesterday’s brief hearing Shaun Bishop, 30, of Leeds Road, Ilkley, 45-year-old Mark Kelly, of Airedale Mews, Silsden, and Wayne Asquith, 45, of North Dean Road, Keighley, all entered not guilty pleas to the charge of arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered.

After they entered their pleas, the prosecution formally offered no further evidence against them and Judge Benson ordered not guilty verdicts against each of the men.

“You are all free to go gentlemen, that’s the end of the matter,” the judge told them.

The judge also ordered each man should receive £60 in travel costs.

Fire crews from Keighley, Silsden and Skipton were scrambled to the scene of the fire last year.

Flames were described as having ‘shot’ from the building at the Enterprise Centre, off Skipton Road.

Witnesses described an explosion that shook nearby houses and sent debris into the air, some hitting a passing train.

As a precaution, roads were closed and trains were stopped on the line between Cononley and Steeton.

Substantial damage was caused to Speedy Hire.

The fire also damaged a neighbouring business and other units in the area suffered smoke damage.

Rush-hour traffic had faced major delays after the incident with one witness describing the roads as “chock-a-block” from the Cross Hills roundabout going towards Steeton.