Man jailed for petrol fire threat at Donnington club
- Published
A man who poured petrol over the head of a man and threatened to set him alight after being banned from a Telford social club has been jailed.
Martin Somers, 44, of Queens Road, Donnington was given an indeterminate prison sentence with a minimum two-year term at Shrewsbury Crown Court.
He earlier admitted pouring petrol over Brian Davies at the Donnington club.
The judge said Somers was a significant risk to anyone he held a grudge against.
Somers admitted administering a destructive or noxious substance to Mr Davies so as to inflict grievous bodily harm at a previous hearing.
He also admitted four charges of assault on police officers during his arrest after the offence on 25 April.
Judge Robert David Trevor-Jones told Somers he would not be released from jail until a patrol board deemed it safe.
Somers went home to get a container of petrol from his lawn mower after being barred from Donnington Community Sports and Social Club, Telford, where had been a member for some time.
'Catastrophic' risk
The judge told Somers he had blamed Mr Davies, who ran the club, "an old adversary of yours", for his exclusion.
Kevin Jones, prosecuting, told the court that Somers produced a cigarette lighter after pouring on the petrol.
"Mr Davies' first recollection is the liquid being poured over him, he immediately had the smell of fuel and saw Mr Somers three to four yards away flicking a lighter," he said.
"Two witnesses recall Mr Somers saying 'I am going to light you' but he was ushered away and out of the building."
Mr Jones said the lighter was examined and found to have no fuel in it and its lock was on.
But the prosecutor said when the lock was removed it would still create a spark.
The court heard that Somers told police he was glad the lighter did not spark and that he regretted his actions as soon as he left the club.
Passing sentence, Judge Trevor-Jones told Somers: "Had it ignited the result of harm and injury to Mr Davies would have been very substantial, if not catastrophic.
"The result would be life-changing disfigurement."