A 65-year-old man has been convicted of throwing a petrol bomb at a hotel housing asylum seekers in Islington, north London. Mark Neville pleaded guilty to attempted arson at Snaresbrook Crown Court on 28 October 2026, according to BBC News. The attack on Thistle City Barbican in Dingley Road occurred on 24 September 2025 and was captured on CCTV, with the fire discovered shortly before 23:00 BST and extinguished by security guards without causing injuries.
Detective Chief Inspector Paul Ridley described the attack as designed to "terrify residents and the local community", stating that Neville had been "motivated by hate." According to the Metropolitan Police, local residents helped identify Neville from clear CCTV imagery after detectives reviewed hundreds of hours of footage, with DNA also linked to glass fragments from the petrol bomb itself.
Neville was identified on CCTV throwing the petrol bomb at the hotel before returning to the door of his flat on Pear Tree Street. A forensic fire dog named Simba, deployed by London Fire Brigade, discovered a glove containing Neville's DNA in a bin close to the hotel.
What evidence led to his conviction?
Computer analysis revealed internet searches related to far-right activism and asylum seekers. During a police interview, Neville acknowledged that his friends had frequently sent him articles about immigration and that he had attended anti-immigration marches, including one outside the hotel he later targeted. When initially questioned, he claimed he was visiting a friend diagnosed with dementia, but after being confronted with the CCTV evidence, he admitted to carrying out the attack.
Ridley warned that his actions could "easily have caused horrific injuries", adding:
Police will relentlessly pursue those who seek to cause fear and harm, bringing serious offenders to justice.
What charges did Neville face?
Beyond attempted arson, Neville pleaded guilty to two additional offences: possession of a bladed article and possession of a prohibited weapon—specifically a stun gun—in a private place. The attempted arson charge carried the specification of being reckless as to endanger life, reflecting the serious potential consequences of his actions.
What happens next?
Neville is scheduled to be sentenced on 8 December 2026. The hotel no longer houses asylum seekers.
This conviction reflects a broader pattern of violence targeting asylum accommodation. In August 2026, a man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following a stabbing at the Stanwell Hotel in Staines, which has housed asylum seekers since 2022 amid previous local protests. The Thistle City Barbican itself had been the site of anti-immigration demonstrations; a protest there in August 2025 drew counter-protesters and resulted in nine arrests.
Key Facts
- Mark Neville, 65, admitted throwing a petrol bomb at Thistle City Barbican in Dingley Road on 24 September 2025
- CCTV footage, DNA evidence from a glove and glass fragments, and computer searches on far-right activism and asylum seekers formed the prosecution case
- He pleaded guilty to attempted arson being reckless as to endanger life, possession of a bladed article, and possession of a prohibited weapon
- Sentencing is scheduled for 8 December 2026
- No injuries resulted from the fire, which was extinguished by hotel security guards
