A man who set fire to a petrol station forecourt has been jailed for 45 months.
Sheffield Crown Court heard how on 12 November 2021, Scott Dearing, 36, visited the Jet Garage on Masborough Street, Rotherham, and tried to fill up a petrol container with fuel.
After successfully filling up the one approved petrol container, he tried to fill up a second unapproved container, which he was prevented from doing for safety reasons by the night cashier.
Dearing began threatening the night cashier, and after they refused to switch the pump pack on, he poured petrol over the newspaper stands, night hatch and front entrance to the petrol station building and set it alight.
Several minutes later, after realising the seriousness of his actions, Dearing returned and put the fire out using sand, before being detained by police officers. He was found to be in possession of a bladed article, and during his arrest, attempted to assault a police officer and caused criminal damage to a police vehicle.
Detective constable Brad Hunt, who lead the investigation into the incident, said: “This was an extremely dangerous incident which could have ended very badly.
“At the time when Dearing started the fire, a member of the public was waiting to be served at the night hatch, and the cashier was still inside the building. Not only could Dearing have caused very serious, if not fatal injuries to these two people, but he also risked causing a significant fire or explosion.
“On investigating the crime we established that there was 6,943 litres of diesel fuel in the underground tank where Dearing set fire to the fuel on the forecourt. In the other tanks, there were another 24,849 litres of fuel. Had any of the fuel in the underground tanks ignited, a major incident would have been declared leading to the evacuation of numerous businesses and residential properties, and likely causing fatalities.
“I am pleased that the sentence handed to Dearing reflects the seriousness of his reckless actions.”
Dearing, formerly of Ash View, Greasbrough, pleaded guilty to arson endangering life, possession of a knife/bladed article, criminal damage to a vehicle and a Section 4 Public Order offence.
No comments yet