Ahmed Kawa, 35, fought the charge, but was convicted by an Inner London Crown Court jury of arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered when he started the fire in Lovat Lane.
Alvise Dal Mas’s Salotto 31 wine bar and restaurant was set alight on June 12, last year, causing £411,500 worth of damage.
In the victim impact statement Alvise said it hadn’t been an easy time for him, his family or the staff and after the fire he couldn’t sleep and would worry all the time.
CCTV footage captured the moment Kawa used a lighter to set fire to a bag of rubbish, before walking away.
Minutes later, the fire caught on to outside tables and chairs, which soon erupted into flames.
The inferno smashed the windows of the building and then it spread inside the restaurant; incinerating furniture, electrical equipment and decorations.
The heat of the fire also ruined bottles of wine and spirits.
Kawa’s image from the CCTV was shared across the force, triggering a coordinated response to find him.
Plain clothed officers and dedicated ward officers from the Neighbourhood Policing Team engaged directly with the homeless community to track him down.
Working with a local charity, who identified Kawa and his whereabouts, officers moved in to arrest him.
“This business is something I am proud to own. I worked really hard to get to where I am and to get the businesses to where it is… This is not just a business to me; it is like a home. It is my whole life and has my whole life inside,” Alvise said in his statement.
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| Salotto 31 |
Alvise was finally able to reopen his restaurant in December, 2025.
The Antiquarian Horological Society was also damaged in the fire, with the blaze causing £76,597 worth of damage to that building.
Detective Constable Eleanor Gill, at the City of London Police’s Criminal Investigations Department, said: “This dangerous act committed by Kawa could have been even worse and it was a miracle no one was seriously injured.
“Kawa deliberately started a fire and walked away, showing absolutely no regard for the safety of others.
“The City’s CCTV network enabled us to identify the offender, track his movements and show him committing his crime on camera.
“We’re committed to working with and protecting local businesses and supporting those affected by crime during our enquiries to quickly identify suspects and bring them to justice.”
During the trial, the judge noted that the fire occurred near the origin of the Great Fire of London in 1666.
Kawa was spotted on CCTV walking down Pudding Lane and drinking from the water fountain at the Monument, which commemorates the historic fire.
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