A MAN who doused his ex-partner’s car bonnet in petrol and set it on fire while she was sitting inside escaped jail because he said he was trying to stop her drink driving.

Richard Fisher, 45, a wood crafter from Varteg Clytha Hill, Abergavenny, admitted recklessly putting in danger the life of Andrea Morgan through arson on July 21 this year.

David Thomas, prosecuting, said: “The background to this case is one of a relationship of some 15 years.

“There had been a barbecue arranged. During the course of the afternoon they did drink alcohol and there’s evidence to suggest both the defendant and Andrea Morgan had too much to drink.”

They began to argue. Ms Morgan became concerned and she wanted to get away from the situation, so she went to the car.

Mr Thomas continued: “The defendant had gone to the car and put a steering lock in it so she couldn’t get away. He was banging on the windows. His version is he didn’t want her to drive because she had had too much to drink.

“He went into the garage and took a can of petrol and poured it on the bonnet of the car. He had lighters in both hands and with one of the lighters he set it on fire when Andrea Morgan was still inside. She immediately got out of the car.”

Both of them then tried to put out the fire together, which left one of the headlamps melted.

Firefighters and police were called to the scene, but the fire was out by the time they arrived. Mr Fisher was arrested.

He maintained he only set the car on fire to scare Ms Morgan.

Mr Thomas said Fisher had threatened: “ ‘If you don’t get out, I will burn you out of the car.’ And that is exactly what he did, he did pour the petrol on the bonnet.”

“He said he did not have any intention to kill [Ms Morgan] but was fully aware pouring petrol on the bonnet of a car with the engine still running was a dangerous thing to do.”

In a victim impact statement, Ms Morgan said she had been very scared, but described her former partner as a kind-hearted person who had assisted her when she was recovering from surgery. She said he had a “look of disbelief” on his face when the car started burning, with flames two feet high.

Defending, Stephen Thomas said: “The incident occurred very much on the spur of the moment. He was scared his partner would drive away whilst she was drunk.”

Judge Daniel Williams imposed a two year suspended prison sentence, a £100 victim surcharge and ordered the defendant to pay £250 costs. He was also ordered to undertake a domestic abuse programme.