A young man has been sentenced to two years and seven months behind bars after starting a fire aboard a National Express bus while passengers were traveling below.
Theo Francis, now 18, initially attempted to ignite a piece of paper on the upper deck of the bus three separate times. The incident occurred around 10 pm on October 25, 2023, as the bus traveled from Great Barr towards Birmingham City Centre.
Following the event, Francis fled and remained at large from West Midlands Police for several months. He was eventually apprehended but initially denied involvement before ultimately pleading guilty to arson in a reckless manner endangering life.
During the proceedings at Birmingham Crown Court, Prosecutor Shehraz Hussain detailed the sequence of events:
- “The defendant boarded a National Express bus and took his seat on the upper deck, while passengers were seated below.”
- “He first ignited a piece of paper, placing it on the floor. It briefly burned before extinguishing itself.”
- “After retrieving the same paper, he lit it again, concealing it from security cameras as it extinguished once more.”
- “Finally, he placed another piece of paper on a seat and set it ablaze. He observed as flames erupted, causing significant damage to the bus before departing.”
A National Express spokesperson emphasized the serious risk posed to both the driver and passengers, stating that such incidents discourage public transportation use.
After being released on bail following his arrest in February of last year, Francis faced further offenses which resulted in a suspended prison sentence and a youth rehabilitation order.
Defense attorney Andrew Baker highlighted Francis’ learning challenges and lower cognitive abilities. He argued that the young man demonstrated courage by admitting guilt, emphasizing a difficult upbringing marked by parental absence – specifically noting the consistent support of his grandmother and aunt.
“He has had a truly wretched childhood. The only supportive figures are his grandmother and aunt. His father has been absent throughout and his mother has had very little interplay in his life.”
Baker further stated that Francis endured bullying while detained at HMP Brinsford young offenders institution.
Judge Tom Rochford, delivering the sentence, acknowledged the need to consider Francis’ mental wellbeing and age at the time of the offense. He offered words of encouragement:
“Being exploited doesn’t mean you are weak… In a funny way it can mean you are strong if you look for help. Sometimes you have to be brave and strong to look for help and be brave and strong to know you can’t manage everything on our own.”
The judge concluded by noting Francis’ apparent agreement, “I hope you will think about that in future. I can see you are nodding.”
