THIS is the chilling moment an arsonist calmly admits to blowing up his childhood home over an inheritance row.
Darren Davies, 55, told cops “lock me up” when they responded to an explosion in Hambleton, Lancashire, in March 2025.
Video footage of Darren’s arrest shows him standing in the street as cops rush to detain him.
Smoke can be seen billowing from the remains of his parents’ four-bedroom, £260,000 bungalow as officers approach Darren.
A female officer is heard saying “It’s your house isn’t it?” to Darren, who responds with a simple “yeah.”
Bizarrely, Darren then tells the cop: “It’s not a gas leak, I need locking up, it was me.”
He continues “I was trying to kill myself”, remaining completely calm.
Officers then handcuff Darren and explain that he is under arrest for arson with intent to endanger life.
Cops then ask him if he has anything on him while they prepare to search Darren.
He replies: “I’ve got absolutely nothing, it’s in there” as he nods at the remains of his parents’ home.
Ambulance crews then arrive and ask Darren what’s going on, he replies nonchalantly: “I was trying to kill myself and take the house with me.”
Darren was jailed for four years and four months after admitting arson while reckless as to whether life was endangered.
On the day of his attack, neighbours heard a loud bang and saw debris flying away from a blast that ripped through Darren’s childhood home.
Firefighters thankfully managed to bring the inferno that followed the explosion under control before it could damage nearby properties.
At court, Prosecutor Michael O’Brien said: “Due to the extent of the fire, it was not possible for the emergency services to determine the exact location at which the fire started.
“It was concluded that the cause was the application of naked flame to combustible materials, with an ignitable liquid used to accelerate the development of the fire.
“The force of the blast exposed people in the vicinity to a risk of life.”
Darren’s brother Craig told how the 55-year-old developed the idea that he was plotting to steal Darren’s inheritance after their parents died in 2024.
After the explosion, Darren was seen coming out of the destroyed home, telling a member of the public: “My family want the house. If I can’t have it, no-one can.”
Giving a statement in court, Craig explained that his parents’ wills had given an equal share to both him and Darren.
Craig reportedly told Darren he wanted to sell the home and “go their separate ways.”
He said: “In early 2025, Darren developed the bizarre idea that there was a secret will signed by my dad in the last few months of his life leaving the house solely to myself.
“This was a notion entirely of his making.
“He continually accused me of being part of a plot against him.”
A court heard that Darren had a long history of mental health difficulties including bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety and autism spectrum disorder.
A report issued by the defence concluded that Darren had been suffering an “autism crisis” when he blew up the family home.
Neil Ronan, defending, said the loss of his parents had been a “devastating blow” for Darren.
Judge Parry told Davies it was “a sad and serious case”, he considered Darren’s guilty plea and that his responsibility was “reduced by your mental disorder.”
