Roydon man, Jordan Chenery, denies killing 50 pigs in £680k arson spree

A Roydon man has denied starting a blaze that killed 50 pigs, and causing almost £700,000 of damage in a series of arson attacks.

Jordan Chenery, 22, was charged with three counts of arson in connection with a spate of attacks on farms across the Diss Express area during the autumn of 2019.

The first and most costly incident took place on the evening of September 26, when he allegedly set alight a hay stack in a barn at Deal House Farm, in Kenninghall Road, Bressingham, belonging to Desmond Aves.

The fire destroyed the building, farm machinery and killed 50 pigs, totalling costs of £560,000.

The following day, a large stack of hay bales was deliberately set alight, causing £54,625 of damage just five miles away from the first incident at Pear Tree Farm, in Fersfield Road, Kenninghall, which is owned by Edward Wood.

The third and final incident came around a week later on October 3, when 400 tonnes of straw were torched at a barn at Boyland Hall in Bressingham, belonging David Brown. The damaged was estimated at £75,000.

Under the Criminal Damage Act of 1971, Chenery is charged with “intending to destroy or damage such property or being reckless as to whether such property would be destroyed or damaged”.

He appeared at Norwich Magistrates’ Court last Friday, when he spoke only to confirm his name, age and address, before pleading not guilty to all three charges.

Chenery, who gave an address of Tudor Avenue in Roydon, was granted unconditional bail until his next court appearance.

Given the severity of the case, it will now be sent to Norwich Crown Court, where Chenery is due to appear on April 1.