Woman and dog trapped on roof in Brighton arson attacks

Emergency services attended Downsway in Woodingdean where a Range Rover was set on fire on September 24, 2023.

The front end of the vehicle was engulfed with flames at around 9.10pm.

The next evening, September 25, a large blaze was started outside a property in Downs Terrace, Brighton, which spread to a house.

A woman and her dog became trapped in the property before managing to escape on the roof through an upstairs window. The woman’s home became engulfed in flames shortly after.

During the incident, East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service was called to an address in Norwich Crescent, Brighton, where a fire had been discovered outside another property.

The blaze caused damage to a window frame, but it was quickly extinguished before further harm could occur.

Two people have now been sentenced for arson (Image: Sussex Police) Accelerants were used in all three incidents, prompting a full investigation to identify those responsible.

Police identified four people in the course of their investigation and all four were arrested and charged in connection with the fires:

• Callum Radband, 26, of Curf Way, Burgess Hill
• Elle-Mai Dunford, 21, of Grove Road, Eastbourne
• Marcus Murphy, 28, of Cantelupe Road, Bexhill-on-Sea
• Bronnie Richards, 26, of Cantelupe Road, Bexhill-on-Sea

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On October 5, 2023, Radband was arrested. Due to a breach of licence conditions for an unrelated matter, he was recalled to prison.

Dunford was arrested on October 13, 2023, and charged the following day with two counts of arson with intent to endanger life, along with one count of arson. She was initially remanded in custody, but later released on conditional bail.

Images of what appears to be an accelerant being used in a fire (Image: Sussex Police) Videos showing two of the fires being committed were uncovered, linking both Dunford and Radband to the Down Terrace and the Norwich Crescent arsons.

Further CCTV footage corroborated their involvement, as well as the involvement of Murphy and Richards in the Norwich Crescent fire.

On October 9, 2024, at Hove Crown Court, Dunford pleaded guilty to her role in all three fires ahead of trial.

The Range Rover damaged by the fire (Image: Sussex Police) The trial of Radband, Murphy, and Richards began on November 5, 2024, at Lewes Crown Court, and lasted for nearly four weeks.

On December 2, 2024, Radband was found guilty of committing arson, reckless as to whether life was endangered, in relation to both fires on September 25, 2023.

He was found not guilty of arson in relation to the Range Rover fire, due to a lack of evidence at the judge’s direction.

Both Murphy and Richards were found guilty of arson in relation to the fire at Norwich Crescent on September 25, 2023. They were acquitted of the Range Rover fire and the Down Terrace fire.

Dunford and Radband were sentenced together on Monday, January 20, at Lewes Crown Court.

Dunford was sentenced to seven years and four months in prison, and Radband, seven years and eight months.

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Richards and Murphy are due to be sentenced at Lewes Crown Court on February 17.

The investigating officer leading the case, Emily Farley, said: “This was a deeply concerning series of incidents, where multiple fires were deliberately set, causing significant damage to homes and personal property.

“A tireless effort was invested to piece together the evidence, helped by the cooperation of the community throughout police enquiries.

“Such actions not only endanger lives, but also devastate the sense of safety in our neighbourhoods.

“Dunford and Radband have now been given substantial sentences for the serious roles they played, and we await the further sentencing of Richards and Murphy on February 17.”