A MAN has been remanded in custody after starting a blaze at a pub run by a speedway legend.

Paul Stevenson, of Westrop, Highworth, accepted he started the fire at the Jovial Monk where a can of petrol was thrown through the window during the night.

The 44-year-old had been due to face trial by jury next month after denying charges of arson with intent to endanger life and being reckless as to whether life was endangered.

But he was brought back before a judge at Swindon Crown Court and pleaded guilty to the less serious charge.

Claire Marlow, prosecuting, said the Crown accepted his plea and would not seek a trial on the more serious allegation of intending to endanger life.

She added that the defendant had also submitted a basis of plea which was also acceptable.

Stevenson pleaded guilty to arson being reckless as to whether the lives of Malcolm Holloway and Ronnie Russell would be endangered.

He maintained his not guilty plea to the charge of intending to endanger the life of Swindon speedway legend Mr Holloway.

Stevenson set the fire at the pub, in St Andrew’s Ridge, in the early hours of Saturday October 2.

Judge Douglas Field ordered the probation service to compile a pre-sentence report and also asked for a psychiatric report to be compiled on the defendant.

Mr Holloway was asleep in his bed at the Arkell’s pub when he was woken by the sound of a window smashing and then the fire alarm.

He went downstairs and found a burning can and, without thinking, picked it up and threw it out of the window.

The 53-year-old, who has been at the pub for two years, then managed to put out the blaze using a fire extinguisher.

He had managed to put out the blaze before the police and fire brigade arrived on the scene at about 2am.

Following a 15-minute search of the area a man was detained by a police dog in Northbourne Road, St Andrew’s Ridge.

The damage to the bar was limited as it was being refurbished at the time and the landlord helped by a member of staff managed to clean up so they could open on Saturday afternoon.

Mr Holloway, affectionately known by speedway fans as ‘Mad Wellie,’ rode for Swindon from 1977 to 1983.

A freak off-track accident when he fell from his lorry and badly broke his right heel resulted in him finally calling time on his racing career in 2005.

Stevenson was remanded in custody until Thursday, March 10 when he is due to be sentenced.