The mother of a father-of-three who died in an arson attack has defended her son against damaging claims made during court proceedings. Daniel Gardner, 36, was trapped and killed when his flat at Saxons Way, Highters Heath, was set alight by Stephen Dale in the early hours of September 19 last year. Dale, 47, the partner of Mr Gardner's ex-girlfriend, was found guilty of manslaughter and arson being reckless as to endangering life.
Mother Dismisses Allegations of Mistreatment
During the trial, it was suggested that Dale's animosity towards Mr Gardner may have stemmed from allegations that the victim mistreated his children. However, Mr Gardner's mother Julie strongly dismissed this claim in her victim impact statement read at Birmingham Crown Court. "It was so distressing to hear the suggestion he mistreated his children which is widely understood to be untrue," she said. "He adored his children and would do anything for them."
Prosecution and Defence Arguments
Prosecutors argued that Dale saw Mr Gardner as a 'significant problem' and acted out of revenge. The court heard Dale had a previous conviction for stabbing someone eight times in 2011. Dale's defence claimed he only intended to scare Mr Gardner by lighting petrol at his door, not knowing there was only one exit from the property. Tyler Phythian, 19, who accompanied Dale to the scene, was cleared of homicide but found guilty of reckless arson concerning a neighbour.
Sentencing Adjourned
Judge Heidi Kubik KC adjourned sentencing until Friday, July 3. The case has drawn significant attention to the devastating impact of arson and the importance of victim impact statements in court proceedings.
