Fleeing arsonist runs into lamppost

A London man has been jailed for eight years after being found guilty of attempting to petrol bomb a pub in Crawley, West Sussex.

Amir Ali, 28, of Ridge Rd, London, N8, was sentenced at Hove Crown Court having been found guilty in August of attempting to firebomb the Imperial Public House in May, 2008.

The landlord was woken by banging noises and came downstairs to find that the front door glass had been smashed. Two bricks and the remains of a petrol bomb that had failed to ignite were lying on the ground.

Police traced Ali soon after the offence, and using forensic and CCTV evidence helped finally bring him to justice.

Ali and another man, who has not been identified, went to the pub. Ali threw two bricks, breaking the window, and the other man threw a petrol bomb, which hit Ali and burst into flames.

The flames died away almost immediately but in his panic he ran off and straight into a lamppost, hitting his head.

Amir Ali then went to the Crawley walk-in centre for the head injury and was linked to the attack by investigating officers.