A 65-year-old man has been convicted of throwing a petrol bomb over the gate of a hotel housing migrants in Islington, north London.
The attack took place at about 10.53pm on September 24, 2025, at a hotel on Dingley Road. CCTV footage showed Mark Neville, dressed in all black and masked, lighting the petrol bomb in a nearby doorway before throwing it over the gate. A large flash appeared at the hotel entrance as the flaming projectile set alight, and Neville walked away, later discarding a pair of gloves. Security guards extinguished the fire quickly and nobody was injured. The hotel is no longer being used to house migrants.
Officers used CCTV to track Neville from the scene to his flat, reviewing hundreds of hours of footage. He was identified with the help of the local community and a forensic fire dog named Simba, which found a glove with his DNA close to the hotel. Glass fragments from the petrol bomb were also linked to his DNA, and he was arrested two days later.
It is believed Neville was motivated by hate and anger towards immigration after searches of his flat found internet searches on far-right activism and asylum seekers. In a police interview, Neville said his friends often sent him articles about immigration and that he had attended marches in relation to the issue, including one outside the hotel he had targeted. He initially denied involvement, claiming he had been visiting a friend diagnosed with dementia, but after being presented with further evidence he admitted he was the person in the footage.
Neville pleaded guilty at Snaresbrook Crown Court on October 28 and was convicted of attempted arson being reckless as to endanger life, possession of a bladed article, and possession of a prohibited weapon, a stun gun, in a private place.
Detective Chief Inspector Paul Ridley, whose team led the investigation, said: "Neville fire-bombed a hotel in an attack that was designed to terrify residents and the local community. His actions could easily have caused horrific injuries." He added: "After he was arrested he tried to deny his guilt, as officers uncovered overwhelming proof that he was motivated by hate."
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Police said the attack was designed to terrify residents and the community and could easily have caused horrific injuries, highlighting the risk posed to hotels used to house migrants.
- The conviction followed a substantial evidence-gathering effort: hundreds of hours of CCTV, community help and forensic work including DNA found by a fire dog.
- The hotel has stopped being used to house migrants, changing the role of the site.
Background
Hotels in Britain have been used to accommodate asylum seekers and migrants while their claims are processed, and such sites have at times drawn protest and hostility. In this case, police said searches of Neville's flat found internet searches on far-right activism and asylum seekers, and he admitted attending a march outside the hotel he targeted.
What to Watch
- The sentence the court imposes for the attempted arson and weapons convictions.
- Whether the hotel site, which no longer houses migrants, is assigned a new use.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
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- SupportedA man was convicted of petrol-bombing a migrant hotel in Islington.The Standard London: “A man has been convicted of petrol-bombing a migrant hotel in north London. Shocking CCTV footage shows Mark Neville, 65, dressed in all black, approaching a migrant hotel close to home in Islington”
- Partly supportedMark Neville, 65, pleaded guilty to attempted arson and weapons charges.The Standard London: “Neville pleaded guilty to his crimes at Snaresbrook Crown Court on October 28. He was convicted of attempted arson being reckless as to endanger life, possession of a bladed article, and possession of a prohibited weapon (stun gun) in a private place.”
- SupportedNobody was injured in the attack.The Standard London: “Security guards at the hotel were able to quickly extinguish the fire and nobody was injured from the attack.”
- SupportedThe attack happened at about 10.53pm on September 24, 2025.The Standard London: “Shocking CCTV footage shows Mark Neville, 65, dressed in all black, approaching a migrant hotel close to home in Islington at around 10.53pm on September 24, 2025.”
- SupportedRidley said Neville’s actions could easily have caused horrific injuries.The Standard London: “Detective Chief Inspector Paul Ridley, whose team led the investigation, said: “Neville fire-bombed a hotel in an attack that was designed to terrify residents and the local community. His actions could easily have caused horrific injuries.”
- SupportedRidley said officers uncovered overwhelming proof that Neville was motivated by hate after his arrest.The Standard London: ““After he was arrested he tried to deny his guilt, as officers uncovered overwhelming proof that he was motivated by hate.”
- SupportedCCTV showed Neville masked and dressed in all black, lighting the petrol bomb in a doorway and throwing it over the hotel gate.The Standard London: “The masked man is seen lighting the petrol bomb in a nearby doorway before walking to the hotel and throwing it over the gate - located on Dingley Road.”
- SupportedA forensic fire dog named Simba found a glove with Neville’s DNA near the hotel, and glass fragments from the bomb were also linked to his DNA.The Standard London: “He was identified with the help of the local community and a forensic fire dog named Simba, who found a glove with his DNA close to the hotel. Glass fragments from the petrol bomb were also linked to his DNA.”
- SupportedNeville was arrested two days after the attack.The Standard London: “Mark Neville was arrested two days later and charged with arson with intent to endanger life, criminal damage, and other offences on the same day.”
- SupportedIt is believed Neville was motivated by hate and anger towards immigration, based on searches found at his flat.The Standard London: “It is believed that Neville was motivated by hate and an anger towards immigration, after searches of his flat found internet searches on far-right activism and asylum seekers.”
- SupportedNeville said in a police interview that friends often sent him immigration articles and that he had attended marches, including one outside the hotel.The Standard London: “In a police interview, Neville said his friends often sent him articles about immigration and had attended marches in relation to the issue, including one outside the hotel he had targeted.”
- SupportedNeville pleaded guilty at Snaresbrook Crown Court on October 28 and was convicted of attempted arson, possession of a bladed article and possession of a stun gun in a private place.The Standard London: “Neville pleaded guilty to his crimes at Snaresbrook Crown Court on October 28. He was convicted of attempted arson being reckless as to endanger life, possession of a bladed article, and possession of a prohibited weapon (stun gun) in a private place.”