'Ghosts Started The Fire': Iraqi Migrant's Bizarre Excuse After Torching Essex Hotels

An Iraqi asylum seeker who set fire to two taxpayer-funded hotels housing migrants in Essex and blamed the blazes on ghosts has been jailed for eight-and-a-half years. Rawand Abdulrahman, 37, a former sheep farmer from Iraq, was sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday. He was convicted of two counts of arson reckless as to whether life was endangered after a trial in March.

The fires were started at the Phoenix Hotel in North Weald on 28 March last year and the Bell Hotel in Epping on 5 April last year. Both hotels were being used exclusively to house asylum seekers and refugees at the time.

The Bizarre Excuse

During police questioning after the second fire, Abdulrahman suggested that 'ghosts' might have been responsible for the incidents. An officer replied: 'I'm afraid we can't arrest ghosts.' The exchange was read out in court and has since been widely reported and discussed.

It highlighted the unusual nature of the defence put forward by the 37-year-old. The first blaze, at the Phoenix Hotel in North Weald Bassett, spread rapidly from the beds in room 9, which Abdulrahman was sharing with another person. Emergency services, including ten fire crews, were called to the scene. The second fire at the Bell Hotel in room 65 required a similarly substantial response from the fire service.

The court heard that Abdulrahman deliberately set light to mattresses in his rooms in an attempt to be moved to better accommodation. He admitted starting the fires but insisted he did not intend to damage the wider buildings or endanger the lives of other residents. The jury deliberated for less than three hours before returning guilty verdicts on both counts.

Court Proceedings and Sentence

Prosecutors argued that Abdulrahman must have known the risks after the first incident but still carried out the second arson. The judge told him he would receive a substantial custodial sentence for the deliberate acts.

Abdulrahman was jailed for eight-and-a-half years, with an additional three years on extended licence. He showed no emotion as the sentence was passed and was warned he could be deported once his term is served as per Metro.

The case has highlighted ongoing tensions around the use of hotels for asylum seeker accommodation in Essex. The Bell Hotel in particular has been the focus of local opposition and legal challenges by Epping Forest District Council. Abdulrahman had previously had an asylum claim rejected in Sweden before arriving in the UK.

Impact on Essex Hotels

The Phoenix Hotel sustained damage running into several hundred thousand pounds, leaving an entire wing unsafe and requiring extensive rebuilding work. The Bell Hotel's repair bill is estimated at £40,000 ($54,000) as reported by Essex Live. All costs will be met by the taxpayer.

A widely shared Instagram post recounting the Iraqi asylum seeker's claim that ghosts started the fire at the Essex hotels has drawn significant attention, with many users expressing disbelief at the excuse.

The fires put lives at risk, including those of families with young children staying at the hotels. Essex Police confirmed Abdulrahman acted alone and was arrested shortly after the second blaze at the Bell Hotel. As the details of the sentencing continue to emerge this week, the case has prompted fresh scrutiny of the UK's asylum accommodation system and the challenges faced in Essex.