Teenagers convicted of arson at Gants Hills restaurant

Two teenagers have been convicted of arson with intent to endanger life following a complex investigation by the Metropolitan Police.

The defendants, both aged 17, were found guilty at the end of a seven-week trial at the Old Bailey. They cannot be named due to their ages.

The jury heard that the pair were part of a group that set out to cause significant harm in Gants Hill, Ilford in August last year. The motive of the attack remains unclear.

On the evening of Friday, 22 August 2025, the teenagers stormed a bustling Indian restaurant which was full of diners and a handful of staff.

One teenager, armed with a large machete, taunted innocent customers as his accomplice, also armed with a machete, stood ready with a taper and lighter while petrol was poured over the floor, furniture and people in the restaurant.

Once surfaces were doused, the teenager lit the taper which ignited a fireball that quickly ripped through the establishment.

Two people were left with critical burn injuries and multiple suffered severe injuries.

The investigation

Immediately after the attack, detectives began to source footage which captured the suspects fleeing the scene, before piling into a nearby Toyota Prius.

After following the car through countless hours of CCTV, traffic cameras - and utilising data from ANPR records – investigators collated a chronological timeline of the incident, which showed the car travelling to and from Peckham that evening.

After leaving south London at 19:07hrs, the vehicle made its way to Barkingside, where CCTV showed it parking near a supermarket. One of the defendants left the vehicle and walked to a petrol station where he stole several litres of petrol by pouring it into cannisters.

The car then drove to Gants Hill where the attack took place.

Within weeks, detectives located the Prius, which had been stolen prior to the incident. Inside the vehicle, they discovered further evidence against the suspects, including the spout to one of the petrol cannisters used in the offence. Mobile phones were also found, which enabled officers to identify the suspects.

Utilising this evidence, officers were able arrest the teenagers two weeks after the attack and recovered clothing – including a pair of trainers and a balaclava – which proved to be a match to those seen on CCTV.

Detective Inspector Emma Sharp, who led the investigation, said: “This group tried outmanoeuvre the police and avoid the consequences of their pre-mediated violence, but today’s outcome showcases that our detectives can unravel multifaceted incidents to secure justice and take dangerous offenders off our streets.

“The August attack impacted dozens of innocent people, and I’d like to thank the victims and witnesses for their steadfast resilience since the incident, and throughout the trial.”

The pair were also found guilty of a possession of an offensive weapon.

They were remanded and will be sentenced at the Old Bailey on Friday, 2 October.