Man who set fire to school bus during UK riots is jailed

Joshua Sigley, 25, appeared at Chester Crown Court

A man has been imprisoned for setting alight a school bus during the far-right disturbances that swept across the UK in 2024. Joshua Sigley, 25, of St Chads Fields, Winsford, was brought before Chester Crown Court on Friday 20 June 2025, facing charges related to several instances of arson in the town.

Sigley received a three-year sentence after admitting guilt to three counts of arson. Peter Towers, 31, of Rosemary Crescent, Winsford, is set to receive his sentence for this case at a later date, on Friday 15 August 2025. Cheshire Police were alerted to three intentional fires in Winsford on Sunday 4 August 2024, all ignited between 3pm and 11pm. The fires were reported on High Street, Queensway, and Ford Court.

Eyewitnesses who reported the fires described seeing two men, fitting the descriptions of Sigley and Towers.

The fire on High Street was sparked using rubbish piled on the ground and a green jerrycan filled with petrol. CCTV footage from a nearby petrol station showed Towers arriving on a bike, filling a green jerrycan with petrol, and paying for it,

Two men resembling Sigley and Towers were subsequently spotted attempting to ignite trees near Ford Court. Both men were arrested at a Winsford address on Sunday 4 August 2024 and later charged.

Detective Inspector Ross Hamilton said: “Sigley’s actions were incredibly dangerous, fuelled by the national disorder last summer, and could easily have ended up injuring someone, or even worse.”

He added: “I welcome the custodial sentence which has been handed to him; to target a school bus and cause £70,000 worth of damage is shocking.”

DI Hamilton further added: “The sentence handed down to Sigley should serve as a strong reminder of how serious these crimes are regarded and robust action will be taken against anyone who chooses to behave in this manner.”

Liverpool Echo