He ‘felt that staff were taking the mickey out of him’
A vindictive shop customer who had a simmering grudge against staff started a fire near the door in a “revenge attack” for them selling him what he thought were “duff” items. Heavy-drinking David Horner thought that the staff were “taking the mickey” out of him and he made a series of threats to burn the shop down.
He set fire to bags of rubbish outside the door to teach them a lesson but it was quickly spotted by children, who put it out, Hull Crown Court heard. Horner, 54, who was in custody on remand, admitted arson and using threatening words or behaviour towards shop staff in Toll Gavel, Beverley, on June 26.
Judge Alexander Menary said that, on June 23, Horner had been drinking heavily, including wine and strong lager, when he went to a video and phone exchange shop in Beverley town centre. He challenged a member of staff about a previous purchase of a speaker.
Horner believed that it was not charging properly. On June 24, he went back and started talking about a mobile phone that he had bought from the shop. He started shouting and swearing and he had a bottle of wine with him.
He warned that he was going to smash people’s heads in and he threatened to burn the shop down. On June 25, Horner made a second threat about burning the shop down and he called members of staff offensive names.
On June 27, a member of staff went back to the shop and discovered that there had been a fire in the letterbox at the back of the shop. Horner was seen on CCTV emptying bags of rubbish at the door before setting it on fire.
“The fire didn’t take hold,” said Judge Menary. It was put out by some children who were in the area. Judge Menary told Horner: “You have little recollection of what took place on that day.
“These were threats that were made over several days. It wasn’t truly impulsive. There was some degree of planning. This is capable of being described as a revenge attack.
“You felt that the staff were taking the mickey out of you. You felt that they sold you duff items. You were under the influence of alcohol at the time of the commission of this offence.”
Horner pleaded guilty at the first opportunity. He had convictions for 50 previous offences, most recently arson in 2020.
Horner, of Cockret Street, Selby, was jailed for nine months. “Because of the seriousness of this offence, this is a sentence that I could not, in all honesty, justify at the moment being suspended,” said Judge Menary.
“Appropriate punishment can be achieved only by immediate custody here.” Horner told the court: “I do apologise. I am so sorry.” He wanted to apologise to the shop staff and those who witnessed what he did. He had suffered problems.
Horner was likely to be released virtually straight away because of the time that he had spent in custody on remand, the court was told. Judge Menary warned him: “Stay off the alcohol and drugs.”