Thug burst into club shouting 'no one f***s with me' and doused barmaid in petrol

A man burst into a social club, shouted "no one f***s with me" and doused a snooker table and a barmaid in petrol.

Mark Smith drunkenly attempted to set fire to the premises after reacting angrily to a joke, but was thankfully overpowered by other customers. He later told the police he had "lost his head".

Liverpool Crown Court heard this afternoon, Friday, that Donna Benyon was working at Parr Conservative and Working Men's Club in St Helens on the evening of November 22 last year when the defendant, who she had known for some 17 years, entered at around 9pm. She recalled serving him three to four brandy and cokes during the course of the night before he approached the bar again shortly after 11pm and asked for another drink.

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Paul Blasbery, prosecuting, described how the employee jokingly stated she had already called last orders. But Smith, of McCormack Avenue in St Helens, replied: "F*** you."

The 53-year-old subsequently left the premises saying "bye bye". Then, shortly before midnight, the doors at the entrance "flew open" and he re-entered carrying a green petrol can shouting: "No one f***s with me."

Smith began pouring the accelerant over a snooker table, at which Ms Benyon ran towards him in order to take the fuel from him. He reacted by swinging the container towards her, leading to her pushing him to the floor in response.

Around seven customers remained at this stage, and several intervened and were able to escort him from the premises. Ms Benyon meanwhile was left with petrol covering her feet, legs and arms and standing in a puddle of the liquid.

In a statement read out to the court on her behalf, the mum said she "could have died" and had since suffered hair loss and a flare up of her psoriasis as a result. She added: "I've known Mark for many years and never thought he would do something like this. He was clearly trying to kill me. I never want to see him again."

Smith was arrested the same night after calling police himself. He told detectives under interview he had "lost his head" and purchased the fuel from a petrol station as he was "intending to hit the club where it would hurt them by setting the snooker tables on fire".

His criminal record shows five previous convictions for five offences between 1986 and 2003. Andrew McInnes, defending, told the court: "The defendant is aware of the effect this has had on Ms Benyon and he apologises through me.

"For 20 years, this man has not caused anybody any difficulty. He has struggled with alcohol and he has struggled with depression. When sober he is mild mannered, polite and courteous. That night, in drink, he has committed a very serious offence.

"He has had a significant amount of time to reflect on his behaviour. He is now alcohol free.

"He hopes to be alcohol free when he is released. Following the death of his mother, he appears to have gone back to that maladaptive practice of using alcohol. It will be his first custodial sentence. One hopes that it will be a salutary lesson for him."

Smith admitted attempted arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered, assault by beating and criminal damage. Appearing via video link to HMP Altcourse, he was jailed for four-and-a-half years - of which he must serve at least two thirds - and handed an additional three years on licence, as well as a lifelong restraining order.

Sentencing, Judge Ian Harris said: "The facts of this offending are stark and horrifying. You had been refused service, and this angered you. You admitted that you intended to set the snooker table on fire and that people could have been injured or worse. You felt that Ms Benyon had humiliated you.

"You described what you did as a moment of madness and red mist. You were overpowered before you could continue in your deliberate and deluded attempt to commit arson.

"The consequences, as you well know, could have been catastrophic - both in damage to property and risk to life. It goes without saying that fire is completely uncontrollable, particular as a result of petrol being spread."

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