A serial arsonist who unleashed a relentless 24-hour wave of destruction across Canterbury and Ashford has been locked up. Kian Minister targeted businesses, vehicles, and public transport hubs in a chaotic single-day rampage that left a trail of fire and smashed property in its wake.
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Kian Minister was jailed for 18 months
The 24-year-old, of no fixed address, began his destructive spree in the early hours of 27 March 2026. At around 5.30am, Minister torched a wheelie bin on Sturry High Street, completely destroying it, before attempting to set alight a retail park using a burning toilet roll.
Undeterred by his initial failure, he migrated to a Mercedes-Benz dealership on Mill Road where he ignited a stack of tyres. The resulting flames engulfed the rubber and spread to the main structure, causing significant architectural damage before emergency crews brought the blaze under control.
Minister subsequently fled south to Ashford, where his frantic behavior escalated. Arriving at Ashford International station, he unleashed a fire extinguisher against a pedestrian footbridge in an effort to cause structural damage, before grabbing a heavy traffic cone to shatter the windscreens of three parked cars.
Alerted by panicked witnesses, Kent Police officers swept the area and cornered Minister near a station skip, where he had ignited several other items that were smouldering out. Following his arrest, he was charged with three counts of arson, three counts of criminal damage, attempted arson, and attempted criminal damage.
Minister admitted to all charges at Canterbury Crown Court. A judge handed him an 18-month custodial sentence, which incorporated a two-month term for breaching a pre-existing community order.
Investigating officer, PC Evie Taylor-Ryall, said:
‘Minister’s reckless yet deliberate actions caused significant damage to business and property, and potentially risked serious harm to members of the public.
‘Through swift enquiries, officers were able to secure key evidence to link the offender to each incident, enabling us to build a strong case with multiple charges authorised within 24 hours of his arrest.
‘This case demonstrates our determination to take robust action against those who commit offences of this nature, and Minister has now rightly been held to account for his crimes.’