Tragedy strikes; Eight teenagers killed today in a brutal car crash

Eight teenagers have been given suspended sentences over arson attacks in a north London borough.

Five of these youths were tried over a fire at a scrapyard in Mill Hill which resulted in the closure of a stretch of the M1 motorway in April last year.

They were cleared of the M1 fire, but they were convicted along with four other youths of involvement in fires close to the M1 in Barnet that month.

The eight teenagers were sentenced at Wood Green Crown Court.

The ninth person, a 15-year-old, who was also acquitted of the M1 fire but convicted of two counts of conspiracy to commit arson, has been given a youth rehabilitation order supervised for 18 months.

The fire at the scrapyard closed a 6.5-mile stretch of the M1 for several days and caused £4.5m of damage.

Fire pictures on Facebook

Luke Matthews, 18, of Richmond Court, Hatfield; Johno Johnson, 18, of Millfield Road, Edgware; Josh Rylan Lambe, 18, of Harcourt Avenue, Edgware, and three other teenagers – aged 15, 16 and 17, who cannot be identified – were acquitted of the arson attack that caused the M1 to close to traffic.

They were among nine people convicted of more than 20 counts of plotting to commit arson not far from the motorway, at Edgwarebury Park and the Moat Mount parkland.

The court heard the teenagers photographed themselves next to the fires using their mobile phones and uploaded the pictures on to Facebook.

Luke Matthews was sentenced to eight months detention, suspended for 24 months. He pleaded guilty to four counts of conspiracy to commit arson

Johno Johnson was given 10 months detention, suspended for 24 months and ordered to do 300 hours of unpaid work. He pleaded guilty to four counts of conspiracy to commit arson.

Josh Rylan Lambe was given a 12-month community order and told to do 150 hours of unpaid work. He was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit arson. He pleaded guilty to a second count of conspiracy to commit arson.

A 17-year-old boy from Edgware, who pleaded guilty to four counts of conspiracy to commit arson, was given a youth rehabilitation order and will be subjected to two years’ supervision.

A 16-year old boy from Edgware was given a 12-month rehabilitation order. He was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit arson. He previously pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit arson.

Damien John McQueen, 18, of Harcourt Avenue, Edgware, was found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to commit arson. He was sentenced to six months detention, suspended for 18 months.

Hannah Louise Parker, 18, of Meadfield, Edgware, was given a community order for 12 months. She was found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to commit arson.

Juan Durandt, 18, of Meadfield, Edgware, was found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to commit arson. He was given a 12-month community order and asked to do 100 hours of unpaid work.