After a vain attempt to steal honey from a beehive, a callous youth thought he'd get his own back - by setting fire to the hive and killing 54,000 bees. The 17-year-old ran away howling after being badly stung on the hand during his botched robbery.
He returned later with five friends and a plastic bottle filled with petrol, which he set alight and lobbed at the hive.
It burst into flames, killing around a third of the bees which the owners had spent three years building up.
The youth, who cannot be named, was found guilty of one count of arson following a two-day trial at Newton Abbot Magistrates Court, Devon.
The hive was set up in the grounds of Kingskerswell Parish Church near Newton Abbot in 2007.
It was funded by the Kingskerswell Manor House Trust and produced honey which was sold locally to raise money for the charity which maintains the historic site.
Trust spokesman Wendy Coombes said: 'I find it incredible that someone would do such a thing.
'I cannot understand the mentality of someone who would set fire to a beehive which a lot of time and effort was put in to.
'We set it up three years ago as a nucleus and steadily watched it grow. Last year was to be the first time they were going to produce a significant amount of honey.
'But that will never happen now. I haven't decided whether I am to create another yet. I'm still coming to terms with having lost the last one.' Read More
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