A dangerous arsonist has been branded a "risk to life" after setting fire to a businessman's van in revenge for not being paid promptly.
Roland Dickinson had done some work for the victim but took umbrage at the fact he had not been paid immediately. CCTV captures the moment he cycled to the man's business premises and threw petrol over vans before setting one of them on fire.
Newcastle Crown Court heard it happened in July last year at industrial premises at North Seaton Industrial Estate, near Ashington, Northumberland. Neil Pallister, prosecuting, said: "The motive appears to be a disagreement between them over the defendant's wages. He worked for him and wanted payment straight away, which he was not in a position to comply with."
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A witness attending Screwfix saw Dickinson pouring petrol over vans, chucking the can at a van then throwing a lit piece of paper onto one of them, which went up in flames.
The witness told security staff then drove after Dickinson and took his photograph. The van suffered more than £10,000 of damage, although the victim did not assist in the prosecution.
The court heard Dickinson, 47, of Third Row, Linton, Northumberland, who admitted arson, has 47 convictions, including for another revenge-driven criminal damage and was on licence, having recently been released from prison for damaging three vehicles in that grudge. He also previously got 120 months prison for firearms offences.
Judge Julie Clemitson concluded he was a dangerous offender and a pre-sentence report said he posed a "risk to life". When arrested he told police he "wanted to be a lifer and kill someone". He was jailed for two years with an extended licence period of a further five years.
The court heard the ex soldier has PTSD and was previously attacked by a police dog. Shaun Routledge, defending, said: "It's pretty obvious from the CCTV he was going to get caught. He is extremely ashamed and embarrassed about it.
"It was a revenge attack with accelerant but looking at the footage there's something pathetic about it, as dangerous as it was."
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