Man who made bomb threat jailed for arson

Tuesday, November 18, 2025

The man pictured is below Andrew Dewhurst and earlier this year he terrified his neighbours by setting fire to his flat and told all who would listen that he was making a bomb.

Last Tuesday (11th November) he was jailed at Burnley Crown Court for 44 months after pleading guilty to arson with intent to endanger life.

To give you some context, at 7.29am on 2nd March we were called to Piccadilly Close in Clitheroe following reports of a disturbance at a single-occupancy property with a man making threats. We then received further report of a fire contained within the property.

Our officers attended and saw 51-year-old Dewhurst behaving erratically by throwing items out of his flat window and making threats about a bomb he was making.

When our officers attempted to engage with Dewhurst, he said to them: “You best get out,” and then referenced the fire.

Neighbouring properties were evacuated and our officers continued to try and engage with Dewhurst, but he refused to come out of the flat.

It was only when our colleagues from the fire service entered the flat that Dewhurst left the address.

He was then arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life.

DC Katie Hunter, from Burnley CID, said: “Firstly, I would like to personally say thank you to the emergency services that initially attended the scene - the fire service and the initial uniform officers - who put themselves into an incredibly dangerous and life-threatening situation to save someone's life. Without their response and bravery, I am certain that the outcome of this incident would have been very different.

“I know Dewhurst’s behaviour was particularly concerning to his neighbours, and I welcome the sentence handed down to him which will give the local community some much-needed respite.”