Chairman of Magistrates (Episode 3305)

The Chairman at the Magistrates Court heard the case against Des Barnes after he set fire to his boat at Bridgewater Canal in 1991. Although Des had pleaded guilty to arson, his solicitor Lynette Campion argued that it was an isolated incident brought on by Des's wife Steph leaving him and that a custodial sentence was unnecessary. In consideration of this and the fact that Des had volunteered to clear the wreckage from the canal at his expense, the magistrates gave him a conditional discharge for twelve months.