Man spared jail for arson and abuse

A MAN who set fire to petrol outside a neighbour’s house, racially abused another and caused criminal damage has been spared jail.

Mark Gates (46), of Whiteley Street, Chadderton, was given a 10-week suspended sentence and fined £660 by Oldham magistrates after pleading guilty to arson, racially-aggravated harassment and criminal damage.

Gates had made threats to kill himself and was taken to the Royal Oldham Hospital for mental health assessment, but later discharged. That evening a neighbour could smell fumes at his front door and found petrol had been poured outside his flat and through the door.

Gates returned to his flat and again threatened to kill himself. The neighbour called police, who took Gates to hospital for a seond assessment. He was again discharged.

Later still another neighbour called police when Gates was seen tipping petrol on the floor and setting it alight.

Next day Gates was confronted by another neighbour and racially abused the man before returning to his flat, from which banging noises later emanated. The concerned neighbour called police, who found a small fire in the flat.

Ian Owens, defending, said his client had been making a “gratuitous cry for help”.

Magistrate Aftab Haque gave Gates a jail term suspended for a year on conditon the defendant follows a programme set out by probation staff.