A man who started a series of fires at Southport Pier and caused £1,500 worth of damage has been released from prison, after Liverpool Crown Court branded him “a nuisance rather than a terrorist.”
Gerrard Doherty attempted to set the attraction alight several times in response to what he saw as the injustice of the government’s decision to fund its restoration over healthcare, and served a sentence of four-and-a-half months.
“His decision to start these fires was because of his disgust, in his own mind, that public money in the millions was earmarked to repair a pier when hospices were being closed down,” said defendant Frank Dillon.
“My submission is this is not a case where there was a high degree of planning. These are amateurish attempts at fires. They were not using accelerants, as far one can tell.”
Doherty started three separate fires on the Pier between December 2025 and January 2026.
Originally published on Coinslot on June 15, 2026. Republished with permission.