Man blew roof off Wakefield outhouse after igniting petrol cannister

Concerns were growing for the safety of Michael McCormack when he locked himself in the building on Sunnyhill Crescent in Wrenthorpe near Wakefield in the early hours of January 1.

Leeds Crown Court was told that the 36-year-old struggled with alcoholism and mental health issues. He had lost his job after he was caught drink driving last year.

On New Year’s Day he locked himself in the outhouse and refused to come out, sending messages to his partner including a video that showed him opening the lid of a petrol-filled jerry can and spilling onto the floor as he shook it.

Prosecutor Dave Mackay said he hadn’t realised that the fumes from the fuel had also filled the enclosed space.

At around 2.30am the emergency services were called and they tried to break in through the reinforced steel door. But McCormack then sparked a light with ignited the fumes and the fuel, blowing the door open and the roof off. He suffered burns and spent four days in hospital and later needed a skin graft operation. He later said he did not realise the fumes would ignite.

McCormack, of Firtree Crescent, Newcastle, admitted arson which was reckless as to whether life was endangered. He has one previous conviction – the drink-drive offence.

Mitigating, George Hazel-Owram said: “He clearly has some underlying issues with his mental health. The real issue is alcohol. It clearly has compounded the issue she has with his mental health. He has been very candid about it.

“He is genuinely deeply sorry about this. He has made some real progress since then and really does want to address his issues. He has now been sober for two months and 10 days, he has not touched a drop of alcohol. He has expressed a desire to go back to work. Up until the drink-drive incident when he lost his job he worked as a highways engineer.”

Judge Penelope Belcher said it was “sheer fluke” that nobody was hurt, but decided to defer sentencing until August to give McCormack the chance to prove he can remain alcohol free.