Drunk man, 23, who PETROL BOMBED working man’s club after he was asked to leave for not wearing a mask is jailed
- Calvin Hall was playing pool in Quarrington Hill Workingmen’s Club on May 24
- Staff repeatedly told him he must keep wearing a face mask at the table
- Eventually, staff asked him to leave and he returned later with a petrol bomb
- He also tried to petrol bomb a police car which was ordered to the scene
Calvin Hall, 23, tried to firebomb Quarrington Hill Workingmen’s Club in Durham on May 24 after he was told to leave because he refused to wear a face mask while playing pool
A man petrol bombed a working man’s club in revenge after he was asked to leave in an argument over a face mask.
Heavily intoxicated fire-raiser Calvin Hall later threw another petrol bomb at a police officer sitting in his car, but the constable accelerated forward to avoid the home-made device.
Durham Crown Court was told CCTV footage showed Hall throwing the first Molotov cocktail at the closed staff entrance to Quarrington Hill Workingmen’s Club, at 9.30pm on May 24.
Jolyon Perks, prosecuting, said it ignited on impact and caused some fire damage, before patrons at the club were able to extinguish the flames.
Mr Perks said Hall had been in the premises earlier playing pool and although he showed no hostility, he had to be repeatedly told to wear a face mask.
Following the petrol bombing, Hall fled the scene, but an hour later rang police and claimed responsibility, without giving his name.
In a further call, at 11.38pm, he rang police again to say there were, ‘some dangerous boys’ throwing petrol in nearby Kelloe.
He gave his name and said he was ‘fresh out of West Park’, a psychiatric hospital in Darlington, adding that he, ‘had a screw loose’.
Mr Perks said Hall threatened to ‘burn out’ every car parked in the Front Street.
Arriving at the scene, a lone officer tried to engage with Hall from his car window, but the abusive defendant, who was standing alongside a fuel canister, threw a petrol bomb towards the vehicle.
It burst into flames on the road and the officer remained at the end of the street, keeping Hall in view, until other officers arrived.
Staff and patrons of the Quarrington Hill Workingmen’s Club managed to douse the flames and prevent them from burning the building to the ground
Despite a struggle, the defendant, who had doused himself in petrol, was arrested, with the use leg restraints and handcuffs, which he bit.
Hall, 23, from Kelloe, gave no comment in interview, but admitted arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered and attempted arson.
Ian Mullarkey, mitigating, said the defendant has mental health issues, with ADHD and depression, and had been in West Park late last year, but on his release made his problems worse by his overuse of drink and drugs.
He described Hall’s action that night as, ‘a cry for help’, while his mental health has fluctuated since he was admitted to custody.
The court heard a psychiatric report concluded he had no previous history of fire-raising and there was nothing to suggest a risk of future repetition.
Imposing a three-year prison sentence, Judge Ray Singh told Hall: ‘To a large extent you bring these issues on yourself because you drink and take drugs.
‘That’s when the position exacerbates and your inhibitions reduce.’
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