A widow has been left terrified in her home after catching her neighbour pouring petrol through her letterbox while holding a lighter.
Justin Watson has lived next door to the woman in Wallsend for 25 years and they have never seen eye to eye due to his behaviour, a court heard. In March last year, the victim was in her front room when she heard her letterbox. She assumed it was the postman until she heard it again and went to look.
Through the frosted glass she could make out a figure in dark clothing and realised it was Watson but at that point still had no idea what he was up to. Michael Bunch, prosecuting, told Newcastle Crown Court : "She went to open the door and could see the defendant outside. She could smell petrol and noticed he had in his hand a small dark lighter and some petrol in a can.
