MP says he will challenge mill arson sentence

An MP has described the sentence given to a man who was part of a group which caused £15m of damage to Keighley's Grade II* listed Dalton Mills complex in an arson attack as "absolutely pathetic".

Keighley and Ilkley MP Robbie Moore said he would refer the "lenient sentence" of McKenzie Mottram to the Attorney General for review.

At Bradford Crown Court on Monday, the 20-year-old was given a suspended sentence and ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work for his role in the blaze, which destroyed the Genappe Mill on 3 March 2022.

Mottram, who was 15 at the time of the fire, was found guilty alongside co-defendant Keaton Greenman, 19, after a trial at Bradford Youth Court in August 2024.

"This suspended prison sentence does not reflect the seriousness of the crime, the risk put on our local community, nor the huge damage it caused to our key heritage asset in the town.

"I fear that this feeble sentence has just given the green light for further arson, as anyone found guilty will now know they can just get away with it," he said.

The Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme allows anyone to ask for certain Crown Court sentences to be reviewed by the Attorney General's Office (AGO) if they think the sentence is too lenient.

The review is conducted by the Law Officers (Attorney General or Solicitor General) and, if they consider the sentence appears unduly lenient, they can ask the Court of Appeal to review it.

Greenman was due to be sentenced alongside Mottram, but his case was adjourned until February while a pre-sentence report was prepared.

Judge Robinson told the court Greenman could expect a custodial sentence for his offences.

The former textile mill, which had been used as a filming location for television dramas including Peaky Blinders and Downton Abbey, was badly damaged in the fire and has been the scene of several further fires since.

During the most recent blaze at the mill on 13 September several nearby residents were evacuated and 12 fire engines attended the scene.

Moore said the sentencing would be "another kick in the teeth for the Keighley residents and local businesses who have constantly been affected by the ongoing arson attacks".

"It is nothing but a slap on the wrist and does nothing to form a deterrent," he said.

Mottram and Greenman were among a group of youths who entered the mill through a window shortly before setting alight to two polystyrene gargoyles in March 2022.

About 20 fire engines were sent to tackle the blaze and firefighters remained at the scene for three days.

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