Bognor Regis arsonist who set fire to man in his garden found guilty of murder

Aaron Wilks, 38, unemployed of Ash Grove, Bognor Regis, was found guilty of the murder of Mark Stoakes, 60, after a ten day trial at Portsmouth Crown Court. He was also found guilty of blackmail, and innocent of applying explosive substance with intent. The jury's decision was unanimous and Wilks has been remanded in custody to be sentenced at a later date.

Mr Stoakes, 60, was at home with his family on the evening of April 8 when they noticed their garden gate was on fire. Running to the front of the house to see who was responsible, they encountered Wilks, who was holding a blue bottle of petrol, which he began to spray at Mark and his wife, Karen, Police said.

Wilks then produced a flame, which ignited the petrol instantly. Mr Stoakes was hospitalised with serious burns and soon fell into an induced coma. Three weeks later, on April 30, he died of his injuries, police said.

Police investigations revealed two other violent incidents between Wilks and Mr Stoakes, preceding the event on April 8.

The first took place at 11.30am on January 31, 2021 when Wilks demanded to be let into the victim's address. A police spokesperson described how, as Mr Stoakes let him in, he pushed past the victim and into the kitchen. There, he produced a meat cleaver and demanded money he was owed. Police said he also held the cleaver against Mark's throat and slammed it down on top of the cooker, causing damage.

The exchange, caught on CCTV outside the victim's home, was not reported to the authorities until after April 8.

The second incident took place a month later, at about 3pm on Tuesday, February 9. This time, Police said Wilks attended the Stoakes home with two other men. He threatened to kill Mark and his family before ripping a CCTV camera off the wall around the side of the house.

During the incident on April 8, the family recognised Wilks from the two previous incidents and he became a main suspect in police investigations.

Officers searched addresses and vehicles of people associated with Wilks and seized a variety of evidence, including a black petrol can from his car, a blue spray bottle from a house, and a coat matching that seen in CCTV footage of the incident on April 8.

Wilks was arrested from an address in Ash Grove, Bognor Regis, on April 11. Police told how, in an interview, he gave a prepared statement in which he admitted to attending the Oak Grove address, but claimed he had acted in self-defence after Mr Stoakes approached him with a weapon. Police said he remained silent for the rest of the interview.

Discussing the verdict, senior investigating officer detective inspector Pauline Lane, said:

"This was a horrendous and deeply distressing incident that has resulted in the tragic loss of a beloved husband, father and friend.

"Aaron Wilks attended the victim's home address on the evening of April 8 armed with an accelerant and a lighter, intent on causing harm.

"The subsequent assault was the culmination of a campaign of threatening and aggressive behaviour by Wilks towards Mark Stoakes over an apparent unpaid loan.

"We're grateful to Mark's family for their bravery and dignity throughout, and to witnesses and the wider community for supporting our investigation."