January 18, 2016 3.04 pm This story is over 98 months old

‘Raging’ Lincoln drunk jailed for pouring petrol over man after fight

Man jailed: A raging drunk who poured petrol over a man and threatened to set him alight was jailed for 18 months at Lincoln Crown Court.

Lincoln Crown Court inside Lincoln Castle. | Photo: The Lincolnite

A raging drunk who poured petrol over a man and threatened to set him alight was jailed for 18 months at Lincoln Crown Court.

Shaun Smith had earlier been involved in a confrontation with his victim Zak Maguire after the two men met by chance in an Asda store in Lincoln.

Michael Cranmer-Brown, prosecuting, said: “It is perfectly plain that this defendant and Zak Maguire had an intense dislike of each other.

“The defendant was in drink, plainly very angry and had taken possession of a petrol can.”

Cranmer-Brown said that Smith’s partner described him as “raging with his eyes bulging”.

He shouted that he was going to kill Zak Maguire and walked off heading for Maguire’s home in Coleridge Gardens, St Giles.

On the way Smith told a witness: “You watch. Everyone’s getting it. Everyone’s getting petrol bombed”.

When Smith arrived in Coleridge Gardens, he was seen by Maguire who slammed his front door shut but then emerged from the back door.

Cranmer-Brown said: “Smith began pouring petrol along both sides of the house and the front door. The defendant then poured petrol over Zak. Smith removed a cigarette lighter from his pocket and was saying he was going to do it.”

Efforts were made to calm Smith and he eventually walked away from the scene without lighting the petrol.

He was arrested soon afterwards.

Smith, 44, of Goldsmith Walk, Lincoln, admitted a charge of affray arising out of the incident on October 8.

He was jailed for 18 months.

Judge Michael Heath told him: “The only sentence I can impose is custody for behaviour of this sort.”

David Eager, defending, said Smith pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

He added that Smith had not caused any actual injury and had not damaged any property.