A TEEN killer who posted a firework through an 88-year-old woman’s front door has been named for the first time.

Callum Dunne, of The Drakes, in Shoebury, was jailed last year for three years and eight months at the Old Bailey for his involvement in the death of Josephine Smith, in Harold Wood.

After being sold the fireworks on October 28, 2021, two teenagers - Dunne and accomplice Kai Cooper - threw them in front of drivers’ cars, into an open shop doorway and at houses.

A “mega blast” firework was put through Josephine’s letterbox, setting fire to her kitchen as she slept upstairs.  She died from smoke inhalation as a result.

Dunne, who was 15 at the time, bought and posted the firework, the Old Bailey heard last year.

During the hearing, the court was told Dunne’s then 18-year-old accomplice Cooper dared him to post the firework. 

Both were convicted of manslaughter but Dunne’s name could not be reported due to a court order as he was still under 18. 

However, he turned 18 in February this year and Judge Susan Holdham, overseeing a hearing on Tuesday, imposed no new order.

Cooper, of Cleve Road in Leatherhead, was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison, while Dunne got three years and eight months.

During Tuesday’s hearing at Romford Magistrates’ Court, former shopkeeper Mark Vardy, 59, of North Road, in Westcliff, was handed a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to two counts of selling fireworks to an underage boy.

Echo:

Mark Vardy was prosecuted as an individual, while his son Luke attended as the director of the company LMV Enterprises (of Station Road, Rayleigh), which had also pleaded guilty to two offences.

Charges against Luke Vardy as an individual were dropped after his company admitted culpability.

Prosecutor Ryan Thompson played CCTV at Romford Magistrates’ Court of Mark Vardy laughing and joking with the boys as they told him their plans that night.

He was working behind the counter in the Fireworks 4 Sale shop in Station Road, Harold Wood. The shop has since lost its licence.

“People are going to get terrorised tonight,” Cooper told Mark Vardy, even asking him which were the best fireworks to throw at people.

Dunne commented that he wanted to throw them at police, while Cooper said he planned to light a Catherine wheel and “just throw it”.

The court heard how Luke Vardy, 29, repeatedly failed to turn over the unedited CCTV to police, instead twice handing over only short clips with no audio.

Judge Holdham sentenced Mark Vardy to six weeks imprisonment, but suspended the sentence for 12 months.  She ordered him to pay £500 towards Havering Council’s prosecution costs, plus a £128 victim surcharge. He will pay £50 per month.

The judge ordered LMV Enterprises to pay a £7,500 fine, £8,500 towards the council’s costs and a £190 victim surcharge. It will pay £1,000 per month.