A MAN has been charged with a series of offences after an alleged arson attack at a Bournemouth town centre pub.

William Sheen, 22, appeared at Poole Magistrates' Court on Saturday after an incident at the George Tapps in Old Christchurch Road on the night of Wednesday, August 21.

Armed police, firefighters and ambulance crews were called to reports that a man had barricaded himself in a room and was attempting to start a fire just after 10.35pm.

It was claimed that a police dog called Gus was injured when officers attended.

A man was arrested and taken to hospital for injuries sustained while he was being detained. The injuries are not believed to be serious, police say.

He was released from hospital on the afternoon of Thursday, August 22 and taken into custody.

Sheen, who is of no fixed abode, was last week charged with arson, criminal damage, assaulting an emergency worker and causing unnecessary suffering to a police dog.

On the day after the incident, a Dorset Police spokesperson said: "A multi-agency response was put in place with officers attending along with the fire service.

"Due to the threat that was believed to be posed, armed officers entered the premises and arrested a man on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life and criminal damage.

"During the process of being detained, the man – aged 22 and from Bournemouth – sustained injuries and was treated by the ambulance service before taken to hospital for treatment."

A spokesperson for the George Tapps alleged an "intruder" had gone into a working area of the pub not accessible to the pub shortly before closing time.