Third man arrested in Crooked House blaze investigation

A man has been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit arson with intent or being reckless as to whether life was endangered in relation to The Crooked House blaze.

The 51-year-old man from Buckingham is the third man to be arrested, after a 66-year-old man from Dudley and a 33-year-old man from Milton Keynes were questioned on August 24.

All have since been released on conditional police bail whilst Staffordshire Police continue to carry out a number of lines of enquiry

Officers say they have been trawling through CCTV footage and speaking to those who have come forward with information since the fire on August 5.

The Crooked House’s demolition two days after the blaze by new owners prompted criticism from the local community, as an investigation into the cause of the fire was ongoing.

The pub, which was originally built in 1765, was sold by Marstons to a “private buyer for alternative use” at the end of July.