Surrey Man Denies Multiple Arson Charges Including 5G Mast Attacks
An alleged arsonist has entered not guilty pleas to eight criminal charges following a month-long spree that prosecutors say targeted telecommunications infrastructure and local businesses. Milo Creese, 40, appeared at the Old Bailey via videolink from Wandsworth prison, where he denied all allegations against him.
Series of Alleged Offenses Spanning October to November
The charges stem from incidents occurring between October 31 and November 21 of last year. According to court documents, Creese is accused of setting fire to an Indian restaurant on October 31, causing approximately £8,000 in damages. The following month, prosecutors allege he launched two separate arson attacks against property belonging to the Mobile Broadband Network, targeting 5G telecommunications masts.
One of these alleged attacks occurred on Bittams Lane in Ottershaw, Surrey, where emergency services extinguished a fire at a mast. Investigators reported finding a rucksack that had been used to start the blaze, along with a can of brake cleaner that appeared to have served as an accelerant. Court records indicate Creese had purchased brake cleaner six days prior to the incident.
Additional Charges Include Assault and Property Damage
Beyond the arson allegations, Creese faces charges for damaging a windowpane at a 16th-century listed cottage in Chertsey, Surrey. He is also accused of assaulting two police constables during his arrest on November 21, with prosecutors alleging he struck an officer with a crossbow. Additional charges include possessing an offensive weapon in public.
During Wednesday's plea hearing before Judge Richard Marks KC, prosecutor Alistair Richardson outlined the case against Creese. "Police were contacted after a fire against a large electrical tower, started inside a rucksack," Richardson stated. "Nearby, there was a can of brake cleaner which appeared to have been used as an accelerant."
Legal Proceedings and Trial Schedule
Creese formally denied all eight charges against him:
- Arson with intent to endanger life
- Three separate offenses of arson
- Damaging property
- Possessing an offensive weapon in public
- Two counts of assaulting an emergency worker
Judge Marks has scheduled a further hearing for June 19, with a ten-day trial set to begin at the Old Bailey on September 1. The defendant has been remanded into custody pending trial. No injuries were reported from any of the alleged incidents, though significant property damage occurred according to prosecution estimates.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about attacks on telecommunications infrastructure, particularly 5G equipment, which has been subject to various conspiracy theories in recent years. The trial will examine evidence including purchase records, surveillance footage, and forensic analysis from the multiple crime scenes across Surrey.
