Youth custody for promising student who torched car lot
A PROMISING student who torched and vandalised cars while high on drugs has been sentenced to 12 months' youth custody.
Earl Bayliss obtained 13 GCSEs at school, as well as AS Levels, and landed well-paid jobs in the past, Bristol Crown Court was told.
After bingeing on drink and drugs, including the stimulant mephedrone, also known as Mcat, he smashed several vehicles in Kingswood with a baseball bat before torching a car lot, causing damage running into tens of thousands of pounds.
The 19-year-old, of Lower Hanham Road, Kingswood, pleaded guilty to arson and six charges of damaging property in June and August.
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Judge Julian Lambert told him: "You were arrested reading a book in a public library. You are from a good family. The route of this is not difficult to find; persistent use of drink and drugs.
"Mcat and alcohol needs to be drawn to the attention of all those who take it. It makes people lose their minds. You must never take it again and you are well advised not to drink."
Bayliss cupped his hands to his face and supporters wept in the public gallery when the sentence was handed down.
Mark Hollier, prosecuting, said it was on June 30 when the owner of a Skoda Fabia parked in Court Road found his windscreen smashed and the driver's mirror hanging off.
A witness had seen a man matching Bayliss' description running away and a fingerprint from the mirror matched the teenager.
Around the same time, the owner of a Peugeot 106 parked in Elm Road heard a loud smash and saw Bayliss, whom she knew by name. He was standing next to her car with a baseball bat, smoking, the court heard.
He ran off and further inspection of the car revealed the rear offside window was smashed, bringing estimated total damage to £200 to £300.
Mr Hollier said that, also around the same time, a witness saw a man fitting Bayliss' description using a baseball bat to smash the wing mirror off a Citroen Berlingo van in Pows Road.
The owner of a Vauxhall Antara also heard banging from outside his home in Mount Hill Road, Hanham, and looked out to see the driver's mirror of his car had been knocked off, causing £200 damage.
Police interviewed Bayliss and he said he was so drunk he didn't remember how he got to be alone, what route he took home or causing any damage.
Mr Hollier said in August Bayliss was on police bail when he struck again, at 4.30am at AC Auto Services on Lucas Business Park in Hanham.
He said: "The defendant can be seen on the CCTV cameras entering the yard area by coming from the gate entrance.
"The CCTV shows him causing damage to 11 vehicles within the enclosed yard. Nine of these vehicles were under the control of owner Adrian Cox whilst the remaining two were in the control of Andrew Whitham. Five of the vehicles were damaged by arson."
The court heard the torched vehicles were beyond repair and other cars were smashed or keyed.
Mr Hollier said Mr Cox and his friend Lee Oram viewed the yard's CCTV and Mr Oram spotted the defendant's distinctive Mohican hairstyle as he entered Hanham library.
Mr Cox then went to the library, identified Bayliss, and police arrested him.
The court heard Bayliss told police he had consumed eight to ten cans of lager at a party before going on to Chasers club in Kingswood.
He said that, whilst at the club, he downed more alcohol and took a small amount of Mcat.
Bayliss told how he had entered the yard to urinate and could only remember watching a fire there around 6am.
The court heard he admitted that he had no reason to cause damage and was not in dispute with the yard owner or anyone else.
Comments
by ceembee
Monday, October 01 2012, 9:42PM
“All the posts supporting this idiot complain about others judging him. We are all judged by our actions and we all judge others by their actions. Earl the arsonist was judged by Judge Julian Lambert & got off rather lightly IMO. The only slightly redeeming feature in this is that he pled guilty.
@Gertiemac FYI evictions don't just occur for rent/mortgage debt. People can be evicted from rented property for criminal behaviour, anti-social behaviour, damage to the property etc. It is not possible for eviction to take place because utility bills have not been paid. There would have been another evictable reason.”
by ciderdog3
Monday, October 01 2012, 1:06PM
“Gertie - " he is a good bloke really."
Presumably old Earl is a 'good bloke really' when he is not a) high on drugs b) walking around carrying a baseball bat and c) setting fire to cars.
Gertie, he is NOT a 'good bloke' at all fella...he is an retarded IDIOT.”
by Rosbs
Sunday, September 30 2012, 2:56PM
“lets hope the setence an these comments teach him a vital lesson in life so he can move forward and live a life away from crime fuelled by drink and drugs”
by LongJohnson
Sunday, September 30 2012, 2:03PM
“Unfortunately for you, most people connect 'being a good bloke' with things like charity work, helping people out, doing a favour for an elderly neighbour, caring for a sick relative etc etc etc etc
You may have noticed gertiemac, that amongst that list I didn't include 'torching peoples businesses' thats because we have different descriptions for people who act like that, usually the opposite of 'being a good bloke' , often they start with 'a complete and utter' ;)”
by gertiemac
Sunday, September 30 2012, 10:52AM
“Right longjohnson
I'm getting a bit bored of this now, so I will make this my last comment. All of earls supporters are aware of the crimes he commite.
We are also very aware of the distress his crimes have caused the victims.
Earl is being quite rightly punished for these crimes.
And yes, he is a good bloke really.
Most human beings are multi faceted creatures, by this I mean, we are made up of more than one act or thought, but of everything we have ever been or done. If everything we have ever been and done is mostly good and ok, are you getting where this is going? It explains why we can abhor the act yet still support the human being behind it.
Let's for arguments sake suppose you have friends and that one or two of these are close. Let's again suppose these imaginary friends of yours have fostered a love and a friendship with you that has spanned a number of yours. (Go on really imagine it, feel it!) It feels good doesn't it.”
by LongJohnson
Sunday, September 30 2012, 7:49AM
“Earl is genially one of the most loyal and trustworthy friends you could have
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That will be of great satisfaction to the people whose lives he has made a misery.
Dont worry about your property, transport or businesses that he destroyed guys, everything is fine, Earl is a great bloke really! Some chump who went to youth club with him once says so.”
by LongJohnson
Sunday, September 30 2012, 7:44AM
“Considering half of you don't even know Earl, you have no reason to judge him on what he has done
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As has been pointed out before , we don't need to 'get to know' an anti-social thug in order tp comment on proven facts from a Court of law.
What difference would 'getting to know' Earl make to the facts in the story? would it lessen the fact that he destroyed the property & transport of innocent people, people who may need that transport to help a disabled person? Would 'getting to know' Earl negate the fact that he got out of his face and torched a person business?
Grow up !”
by LongJohnson
Sunday, September 30 2012, 7:40AM
“I'm guessing from your holier than thou standpoint, that you have never put a foot wrong and are a law abiding citizen who has respect for the laws and legal system in this country
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well, this may come as a surprise to you, but I have never wandered the streets of Bristol with a weapon and torched peoples businesses ! Nor has anyone I know!
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No-one asked you to point out some 'facts'
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Ummmmm this is a comment section on a newspaper you chump, its for making comment on the stories printed!”
by pillowfight
Saturday, September 29 2012, 9:08PM
“Getting high on drugs, drinking so much alcohol that he had memory loss, torching and vandalising cars is more than one mistake. He should have got a much bigger sentence. Let us just hope he learns his lesson whilst doing his porridge.”
by gertiemac
Saturday, September 29 2012, 8:55PM
“Long johnson
Again, we are fully aware of the criminal behaviour that led to this conviction.
The racist and other offensive comments were pointed out because they were racist and offensive, not to deflect from the article, which would be pointless because the article with some correct facts, is printed above.
A crime has been commited and he is being punished with a prison term. A judge looked into the case and studied the facts as he understood them to be and handed out the appropriate sentence. I'm guessing from your holier than thou standpoint, that you have never put a foot wrong and are a law abiding citizen who has respect for the laws and legal system in this country. Then why are you passing further judgement on here? Are you saying that the judge was wrong with his ruling? If so wouldn't you be better off taking that up with the judge rather than wasting your time on here?
Earl was sentenced in a court of law and is doing his time respectfully, there is nothing more to say on the matter.”