A SWANSEA man, Christopher Watson, has been found guilty of arson at Swansea Crown Court, following allegations that he set fire to his uncle’s home while the latter was abroad in Australia visiting his son.
Watson, 52, of Heol Graig Felen, Clydach, was put on trial on Thursday (Aug 29) facing charges of arson. The case centred on CCTV footage that captured a figure setting fire to his uncle’s home on Capel Road, Clydach. Watson, who was near the crime scene at the time, claimed he was in the area simply to “clear his thoughts.”
Watson and his uncle were known to have had a close relationship, often spending time together watching football and going out for drinks. However, tensions surfaced when Watson’s uncle, who had initially invited him to stay at his house while he was away, changed his mind, citing the need to protect his property. Instead, the uncle asked other family members to keep an eye on the house. Although Watson claimed he accepted this decision without complaint, reports indicate he repeatedly asked if he could stay at the house during the day.
On the morning of Wednesday, March 8, 2023, around 5:38am, Watson was reportedly seen near his uncle’s home, captured by CCTV. Despite his denials, evidence showed Watson’s vehicle near a garage close to the property. Watson argued that the person seen on CCTV walking towards the house was not him, insisting he was in the area due to difficulty sleeping, a condition that prompted his early morning walks.
However, suspicion arose when Watson messaged a woman with whom he had a casual relationship, informing her that his uncle’s house was on fire at 5:41 am—precisely when the fire was reported to have started and the exact time CCTV footage captured someone leaving the area. Watson claimed he learned of the fire from a Facebook message sent by an acquaintance, a 75-year-old man he had met briefly at a funeral. However, police investigations found no such message on his phone, and the acquaintance was not a known contact on Watson’s Facebook account, further raising doubts about his account.
Throughout the trial, Watson maintained his innocence, arguing that his severe health issues and responsibilities as a carer for his father, a double amputee, made it impossible for him to commit arson. Watson suffers from complications stemming from a car accident 30 years ago, which left him with a plate in his skull and glass lodged in his brain and eye, resulting in memory issues and sleep disturbances. Additionally, he developed severe injuries from an infection involving Japanese knotweed, leading to gangrene and sensitivity to extreme temperatures and fumes—conditions, he argued, that would prevent him from handling the fuel that caused the fire.
The defence also pointed out that Watson was wearing light clothing on the day in question, whereas the figure on CCTV was dressed in dark clothing. They further argued that the presence of Watson’s car near the scene was purely coincidental.
Despite these arguments, the court, on Friday, 30th August, found Watson guilty of arson. The court concluded that the timing of Watson’s message, the proximity of his vehicle to the scene, and his history of seeking access to the home cast significant doubt on his version of events.
The judge has adjourned sentencing until Friday, September 27, to allow time for a probation report to be completed before determining the appropriate punishment for Watson.
