Man Who Blew Up Ex Partners House In Meltdown Gets 11 Years In Prison

Paul Solway, 58, was sentenced yesterday to 11 years in prison for orchestrating a gas explosion that destroyed three homes in Derby.

The sentencing at Derby Crown Court concluded a long legal battle stemming from the June 10, 2025, incident on Eden Street.

Evidence presented in court revealed that Solway detached the main gas pipe in the basement of the house he shared with his former partner.

After the gas accumulated, he set a chair on fire, causing a massive blast that projected the building’s facade into the street.

The explosion was described by Judge Shaun Smith KC as "devastating," resulting in the immediate demolition of the primary residence and two neighboring homes.

Joanne Waterfall, Solway's ex-partner, testified that the blast left her with nothing but the clothes she was wearing at the time.

"I have got nothing. I have had to start off from absolutely zero," Waterfall stated during the proceedings.

Solway admitted to six counts of damaging property being reckless as to whether life was endangered, affecting six different houses in the area.

The defendant appeared via video link from HMP Nottingham for the hearing, still showing signs of the severe burns he suffered in the blast.

Investigators found that Solway had warned a friend of his intentions just three minutes before the explosion occurred.

The court heard that the act was a calculated response to being asked to vacate the shared property following a domestic dispute.

Detective Constable Shaun Carter noted that it was only "pure luck" that no neighbors or passersby were killed in the incident.

Residents of the Eden Street community were forced to evacuate while emergency services conducted a massive multi-agency recovery operation.

The financial and emotional impact on the neighborhood remains significant, with several families still displaced from their long-term homes.

This sentencing brings a sense of closure to a case that shocked the Alvaston community and highlighted the dangers of infrastructure tampering.