Case dropped against a man accused of £2m blaze at Michelin-starred restaurant
New evidence showed that it had been started by a discarded cigarette
A shooting estate manager accused of burning down a 14th century, Michelin-starred restaurant, causing more than £2 million of damage, has been told by a judge "you are not to blame for this, you are perfectly innocent", after the case against him was dropped.
Charlie Birkett, 28, was charged with arson with recklessness as to whether property would be destroyed or life endangered, after the devastating blaze at the thatched Star Inn at Harome, near Helmsley, North Yorkshire, in November 2021.
At York Crown Court on Friday, prosecutors offered no evidence, after the production of a new report by one of Britain's leading fire investigators, Dr Peter Mansi, which was paid for by Mr Birkett's family, who run the Rievaulx Sporting estate, in North Yorkshire.
The Recorder of York, Judge Sean Morris, told Mr Birkett:
"You are not to blame for this, you are perfectly innocent and you leave this court without a stain on your character."
The court heard Mr Birkett was charged on the basis that he deliberately put a cigarette into the thatch of the building.
But prosecutors admitted that Dr Mansi's new investigation showed that this was not the case, and the fire was caused by a candle in a makeshift ashtray igniting cigarette butts, which spread to dead ivy around the door of the pub.
In an emotional statement read on the steps of the court, Mr Birkett said his life has been "extremely hard" for the last two years as he faced a possible prison term of more than six years.
He criticised the police and fire service investigations, saying that many other people would not have had the financial resources to challenge the evidence in the way he did.
The Star Inn has regularly featured in lists of the best restaurants and gastropubs since the arrival of chef and patron Andrew Pern more than 25 years ago.
The inn was rebuilt and reopened on the anniversary of the fire in 2022.
No-one was injured in the blaze, and more than 40 firefighters battled to save the building.
The judge said the defence team should be commended for producing such a "thoroughly convincing" report.
He said:
"This was an accidental fire caused by people dropping cigarette ends into a candle holder."
Judge Morris said there was "even a perfectly round burn" found on the bench where the candle holder was located.
Earlier, Sophie Cartwright KC, defending, told the court there was "complete acceptance that Mr Birkett was not the ignition source of the fire".
Speaking outside the court, Mr Birkett said:
"I cannot quite describe the last two years and what myself, and then my family and friends have been through.
"I am extremely lucky to have had such an amazing family, girlfriend and friends to help me through what has been the hardest time of my life."
He said that, within 15 minutes of being provided with the prosecution papers, Dr Mansi "categorically could state that the prosecution case was entirely misconceived" and that fire investigators followed an "entirely incorrect hypothesis".
Mr Birkett said his defence team was able to secure hours of video footage prior to the fire starting, which the police had, which showed "that the fire was nothing to do with me".
He said: "For over two years, this has effected me as a person hugely, effected my job and income, and taken a massive toll on Hannah, my girlfriend, who has been a rock throughout this, as well as my family and friends."
Mr Birkett said: "I cannot thank Andrew Pern and his family enough, for all their kind words and support.
"We are extremely close as families and were it not for his decency, his kindness and his knowledge of me and that I would never have done what the police alleged, I think that this negligent and flawed prosecution would have ruined the relationship between our families."
He said: "My worry is that there are other people out there under similar circumstances who would not have had the support, financially and emotionally, that was needed to prove my innocence. "
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