Garage owner jailed for firebombing employee’s car

A Swansea garage owner and two accomplices have been jailed for firebombing a former employee’s car in a revenge attack over stolen money.

Gareth Charles, 44, plotted with employee Mathew Membury, 32, and old schoolfriend Gareth Rowe, 47, to torch the vehicle after his former worker Anthony Marmont took money from his business to fund a drug habit.

Swansea Crown Court heard that Marmont began working at Charles’ garage in 2023 with initially positive relations. However, by early 2025, the employee had developed drug problems and financial difficulties. Charles lent him money from his wages, but in April last year, Marmont began stealing from the business to fund his habit before failing to turn up for work.

On 13th May, Charles and Membury spotted Marmont in the street whilst driving through Swansea. Charles got out of his BMW and punched Marmont in the face, causing his nose to bleed, while Membury told him: “You are f****d.” Charles demanded the money owed and Marmont returned a sum of cash. Following this incident, Marmont stopped going to work and deleted Charles from his contacts.

Charles repeatedly contacted Marmont’s partner Amy Dark asking for his money before contact stopped.

Just before midnight on 5th September, Marmont and Dark’s Suzuki Swift, parked outside their home in Swansea Vale, burst into flames. An unidentified male was seen running from the scene.

When police arrested Charles and seized his phone, he refused to reveal the PIN. However, officers performed a partial download and discovered text messages between Charles and Membury discussing the arson attack, including who would pour the petrol and who would drive. In the messages, Charles expressed his desire to firebomb the victim’s front door, but Membury cautioned against this, saying police wouldn’t investigate a car fire but would investigate a house fire.

Police also found messages between Charles and Rowe in the days before the incident, including mentions of “balys” – believed to be references to balaclavas. The call log showed Charles and Rowe had spoken on the night of the attack.

All three men answered “no comment” to questions in interview. Prosecutors said it wasn’t possible to identify who set the fire, but Charles was the “ringleader” in the revenge attack.

Charles, of Pleasant Street, Morriston; Membury, of Phoebe Road, Pentrechwyth, Swansea; and Rowe, of Heol Graig Felin, Clydach, all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to arson. Charles also admitted assault by beating. Rowe’s plea was entered on the basis he admitted sending and receiving messages but denied being present at the scene.

Defence barristers described the defendants’ actions as an “appalling decision”, “stupid and reckless”, and motivated by “misguided loyalty”. Membury’s barrister said his client had been “blisteringly frank” with the pre-sentence report author that he had no personal grievance with Marmont but became involved to cause him “inconvenience and loss”. The barrister added it had been “stupid” to “gift the prosecution the details of the conspiracy” in text messages.

Judge Huw Rees told the three defendants: “I regard you all as straightforward citizens. You became involved in an enterprise which was born out of stupidity. There was a lack of sophistication about it but that does not make it any less dangerous.”

Charles was sentenced to 38 months in prison (36 months for arson plus two months consecutive for assault). Membury received 32 months and Rowe 30 months. The defendants will each serve up to half their sentences in custody before being released on licence.