By Ben Riley-Smith, and agencies7:14AM GMT 12 Nov 2013Follow
A vengeful husband who set fire to a polo-playing love rival's car who had started dating his wife has been jailed for more than three years.
Gustavo Gallardo became enraged when he discovered Trudy Erceg was having a fling with another man who worked at the prestigious Dubai Polo Club.
The 35-year-old Argentinian spied on his wife and saw her getting into Julio Ruggeri's car before following the pair back to the Dubai team's summer base in Berkshire, a judge heard.
He wanted to confront Mr Ruggeri face-to-face but "chickened out" at the last minute, instead taking revenge by pouring petrol onto a red Ford Focus car and setting it alight, the court was told.
The flames quickly spread like a domino effect to another vehicle – causing £21,000 pounds worth of damage.
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The attack also caused superficial damage to a central heating tank containing 1,000 litres of oil at a large bungalow during the arson strike near the White Hart public house in Maidenhead, Berkshire, on June 17.
The 11.30pm attack was carried out during the height of the polo season in the UK. The touring Dubai club were based in the Berkshire town for several weeks this summer.
Gallardo, who carried out the training of polo ponies and was a groom at a £3.5 million pounds stud farm near Horsham, West Sussex, fled the scene without calling the emergency services.
"The fire was started deliberately at a time when a number of people were indoors," said prosecutor Michael Roques.
Timothy Greaves, defending, said: "He should have called for help, but he didn't. He panicked and he is very sorry for that. He has expressed remorse. He is very ashamed of his actions.
"It wasn't pre-planned. It was a spur of the moment thing. He wanted to have it out with the gentleman, but he 'chickened out'."
Judge Zoe Smith told Gallardo, who stood in the dock at Reading Crown Court: "You were employed as a polo horse trainer and groom and were living in Horsham in June this year.
"Mr Ruggeri was similarly employed by a different polo club and he and members of his team were staying in a property in Maidenhead.
"That property was a large bungalow in a remote location. It housed up to eight people. Your wife was a work colleague of Mr Ruggeri and you noticed that they were attracted to one another.
"It would appear that your relationship with your wife deteriorated and there was a period of about three weeks where she was not speaking to you.
"It would appear you drove to Maidenhead to observe her that night and you saw her getting into Mr Ruggeri's car. It is very likely you then followed that red Focus car to the bungalow.
"At 13.03 on June 17 you wrote on your social network site (Facebook) 'I want to harm, he he he.' I am told by your counsel that the (Spanish) interpretation should be you 'wanted to get drunk' or something like that. Later that day you did go out and you did cause damage."
CCTV showed him going to her area near a public house, the hearing was told.
"Later that evening you set a fire using petrol as an accelerant. The Focus car was engulfed in flames. The flames spread to a second vehicle and there was a blackened trail containing traces of accelerant to the coroner of the bungalow," she said.
"You say that was set for the purposes of setting the car alight and acted as a fuse so you would not harm yourself. There was however a serious risk of a significant explosion being caused."
There was a large oil tank containing 1,000 litres of oil and the heat of the fire caused the plastic sheeting to melt. Up to 75 mats were used by firefighters to mop up the oil.
"This was a serious fire and even though you had set it carefully, it got more out of control than you had expected. You left the scene without calling any emergency services.
"It would appear to be a revenge attack. You say it was not premeditated but you admit you set the fire deliberately.
Gallardo was sentenced for arson, which the judge said "must reflect the seriousness of the case." He pleaded guilty at an early stage for which he was given credit. He had no previous convictions.
He was described as being "polite, friendly and very conscientious" by his work colleagues.
Gallardo, of Shipley, West Sussex, was sentenced to a total of three years and four months in prison. He will serve half that time before he is released on licence. The dark-haired defendant, who sat in the dock with a Spanish interpreter, appeared emotionless as he learned his fate.
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