Man in threat to start fire
A man who doused his home in Welshpool with petrol and threatened to set it alight has avoided jail.
A man who doused his home in Welshpool with petrol and threatened to set it alight has avoided jail.
David Roberts doused the property he then shared with partner Paula Jones with petrol after ringing Miss Jones's brother to say he was going to burn down the house and its contents.
Roberts, now of Leighton View, Oldford, Welshpool, admitted threatening to commit arson to endanger life at a previous hearing.
Yesterday, at Welshpool Magistrates Court, he was sentenced to a community order with 200 hours of unpaid work and also told to pay costs of £43.
Miss Margaret Roberts, prosecuting, said Roberts was living with his partner Paula Jones at an address in Welshpool. Roberts owned the house, but due to financial difficulties he had placed it on the market.
On January 28 at 1am, he phoned Miss Jones's brother saying he was going to burn the house down and its contents. Miss Jones phoned and he told her to pick up her possessions because he was going to "torch the lot".
She went to the unidentified property and he was standing there with a petrol container. He removed the lid and had a cigarette lighter in the other hand. He splashed petrol around.
She Jones fled and called police. Roberts admitted dousing the house and holding the lighter, but said he had no intention of lighting the fire. In a statement, Miss Jones said she was frightened for her life and the life of her unborn baby.