Telford boxing coach's attacker gets jail

A man who poured petrol over the head of a boxing coach in a Telford sports and social club and threatened to set fire to him was jailed at Shrewbury Crown Court today for an indefinite period.

Martin Somers, 44, of Queens Road, Donnington, poured fuel over the head of Brian Davies - who runs the community sports and social club in Donnington and also the town's boxing club - because he had been barred, the court heard.

Somers admitted administering a destructive or noxious thing to Mr Davies, namely petrol, so as to inflict grievous bodily harm on him on April 25.

He also admitted four charges of assault on police officers during his arrest.

Judge Robert David Trevor-Jones told Somers there was a significant risk of him causing serious harm to people he had a grudge against or hostility towards.

The judge sentenced him to an indeterminate prison sentence with a minimum jail term of two years. He will not be released until a parole board deems it safe.

The judge said Somers attributed his barring to Mr Davies, "an old adversary."

He went home to fetch a container of petrol from his lawnmower, poured it over Mr Davies and made some attempt to light it.