Two teenagers have been found guilty of a horrifying incident where they splashed petrol on customers inside a restaurant and set them on fire. The attack took place at the Indian Aroma restaurant in Gants Hill, East London, on August 22 last year.
The assailants, both aged 17 and unnamed, caused severe burns to two victims who were left in critical condition, with several others sustaining serious injuries. The court learned that the teenagers arrived at the restaurant armed with machetes after stealing petrol from a nearby station. One of them provocatively engaged the diners while the other readied a lighter, spreading petrol over the floor, furniture, and patrons.
Once the petrol had been poured, a flame was ignited, causing a massive fireball that engulfed the establishment. The culprits fled the scene in a stolen Toyota Prius before emergency services arrived. Detectives initiated a thorough investigation using CCTV footage, traffic cameras, and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) data to track the suspects’ movements.
The stolen Prius was seen leaving Peckham and heading to Barkingside, where one of the teenagers was captured on CCTV filling canisters with stolen petrol. Subsequently, they drove to Indian Aroma and carried out the violent attack. The teenagers were apprehended approximately two weeks later.
Following a seven-week trial, both teenagers were convicted of arson with intent to endanger life and possession of an offensive weapon. They have been remanded in custody and are scheduled for sentencing on October 2. Detective Inspector Emma Sharp, leading the investigation, commended the victims and witnesses for their resilience throughout the trial, emphasizing the impact on innocent people and the commitment to bringing justice to dangerous offenders.
