An angry drunk who left a petrol bomb under a pub landlord's car has avoided jail.
Alan Mangan made a Molotov cocktail and placed it under a Range Rover belonging to Ray Woods, who is the licensee of the Tulketh Tap Room, in Preston, Lancashire. Mangan, 51, did it as revenge for Mr Woods throwing him out of the micropub a month earlier, Preston Crown Court heard.
Mangan had been chucked out in July 2021 after throwing tables and chairs during a 'disturbance', the court was told. In August, he came back and was seen placing a plastic bottle with a flaming rag under the car, LancsLive reports. Mangan was then seen sitting in his own car, close to the scene.
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Fortunately, a member of the public spotted the Molotov and kicked it out from underneath the car. The police were called and CCTV and ANPR footage led them to Mangan's door.
Mangan, of Linden Drive, Lostock Hall, was arrested and claimed he had a can of petrol and matches in the boot of his car to use while cooking in his caravan. He later pleaded guilty to attempted arson and appeared at Preston Crown Court to be sentenced.
Recorder Andrew McLoughlin, sentencing, said: "You were physically removed (from the pub) due to there being a disturbance including throwing chairs and tables as a result of what you thought to be a slight towards your girlfriend by the landlord. It is said, and there appears to be medical evidence, that you suffered an injury, a bleed to the brain, as the result of an assault carried out immediately after you were evicted from the pub.
"What you did, having been told by the police that it was self defence, was you took a course of conduct that was a serious criminal offence. You chose to prepare - and there is an element of premeditation and revenge - to go back to the pub and place a plastic bottle containing petrol, set fire to it, and place it under the motor vehicle of the landlord.
"You were seen doing that by any number of people. It was premeditated and carried out while you were drunk."
The court heard Mangan, of Linden Drive, Lostock Hall, has long standing issues with alcohol and previous convictions for drink driving. The judge said: "This offence clearly crosses the custody threshold, particularly given the significant damage that could have been caused to that motor vehicle if you had been successful in your criminal venture. It didn't happen but that was more by good fortune than any intervention by you to see the error of your ways."
He sentenced Mangan to 12 months suspended for two years with a six month alcohol treatment program and 20 rehabilitation activity days. Recorder McLoughlin also placed Mangan on a six month curfew, ordering him to stay at home between 9pm and 7am.
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