Drunken yob jailed for pouring diesel over car parked on Wakefield driveway and set it alight

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com 
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
A yob who poured fuel from a jerrycan over a car parked on a driveway and set it alight has been jailed after the blaze came close to spreading to the semi-detached property.

Drunken Daniel Tomlinson turned up at the house in Knottingley twice in a matter of hours, making threats to the woman and man inside.

He was jailed at Leeds Crown Court this week after admitting to common assault, affray and arson reckless as to whether life is endangered.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The 35-year-old had been to the property on Pinders Garth on the night of September 13 and argued with the female occupant. He “ragged” her around the room and pushed her over.

Tomlinson left but returned at 3am the next morning and was shouting, swearing and banging on the windows from outside. He made threats to “smash her head in”, prosecutor Ian Howard said.

Tomlinson (pictured left) was jailed for setting fire to a car on a driveway on Pinders Garth in Knottingley. (pics by WYP / SWNS / Google Maps)Tomlinson (pictured left) was jailed for setting fire to a car on a driveway on Pinders Garth in Knottingley. (pics by WYP / SWNS / Google Maps)
Tomlinson (pictured left) was jailed for setting fire to a car on a driveway on Pinders Garth in Knottingley. (pics by WYP / SWNS / Google Maps) | WYP / SWNS / Google Maps

He then went to the back of the property, found the jerrycan full of diesel and poured it over the car on the driveway and set it alight. The fire began slowly but then took hold of the vehicle.

It was only when the tyres burst that it woke up others on the street.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The flames were so intense that it caused damage to the windows of the house. A gas main below the window luckily remained in tact.

A neighbour of the semi-detached property tried to douse the flames with a garden hose until the fire service arrived. Tomlinson had fled by that point but was arrested a short time later. He gave a no-comment interview.

He appeared in court this week via video link from HMP Leeds where he was held on remand after his arrest. He has multiple previous convictions for criminal damage, assaults on emergency workers and battery.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mitigating, Rukhshanda Hussain said his best points were his guilty pleas. She said: “It’s clear that his actions were as a result of a combination of anger and alcohol. He has little recollection. He is remorseful given what could have happened.

“Hs is realistic and knows this will be a custodial sentence.”

Judge Howard Crowson jailed him for three years. He was told he must pay court costs of £228, but the judge asked they be diverted to the car owner.

He conceded it would not come close to covering the loss, but was uncertain that Tomlinson had any means by which to pay a meaningful chunk of compensation.

Related topics:
Leeds news you can trust since 1890
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice