Debtor's fireball siege threats

A man with mounting debts threatened to set himself on fire after his house was repossessed, a court heard.

Peter Sastawnyuk, 53, sparked a five-hour siege at the house near Rochdale, Greater Manchester, when he barricaded himself inside with gallons of petrol.

Rochdale Magistrates' Court heard that he fell into trouble in 2006 after an accident left him unable to work.

Sastawnyuk admitted wasting police time and was sentenced to 150 hours of unpaid work under a community order.

Squatter's rights

The court heard he was evicted in August after failing to pay the mortgage on the property in Bamford.

He had taken out a £300,000 loan against the home - then valued at £370,000 - but could not afford the repayments.

Following the repossession, Sastawnyuk tried to lease his home back from a new buyer, but mortgage lenders would not approve the deal.

He claimed squatter's rights at the house and in protest called his doctor saying he was planning to set himself alight.

The father-of-two was given a two-year community order by magistrates, who were told that the house is now back on the market for £250,000.