A 28-year-old man has been charged with arson following a devastating fire that completely destroyed a Labour MP's constituency office. Joshua Oliver, of no fixed address, faces prosecution after the blaze at Sharon Hodgson's offices in Washington, Tyne and Wear.
The fire erupted in the early hours of Thursday morning, gutting the premises in the Concord area. The building also housed a small charity supporting people with rare genetic diseases and an NHS mental health service for veterans, all of which were destroyed in the blaze.
Investigation leads to charges
Fire investigators examined the scene on Thursday as police built their case against Oliver. The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed they had sufficient evidence to proceed with criminal charges against the suspect.
Christopher Atkinson of the CPS said: "The Crown Prosecution Service has decided to prosecute Joshua Oliver with arson following a police investigation into a fire at the offices of Sharon Hodgson MP. Our prosecutors have worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring the case to trial and that it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings."
Court proceedings scheduled
Oliver will appear before Newcastle Magistrates' Court on September 13 to face the arson charges. The CPS has worked closely with Northumbria Police throughout their investigation into the incident.
Prosecutors have urged the public not to share information online that could prejudice the upcoming legal proceedings. The CPS warned that such material could potentially impact the fair administration of justice in the case.
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
