Petrol threat carjacker is jailed

A man has been jailed for five years for dousing a Good Samaritan with petrol and threatening to set him on fire during a carjacking.

Steven Owen, 42, told Peter Oberman he would "roast" him unless he handed over the keys to his Ford Fiesta.

Owen, of Halliday Court, Littleborough, Rochdale, admitted robbery, driving while disqualified and theft.

Mr Oberman had picked up Owen on York Avenue, Jarrow, in June, believing him to be a motorist in need of assistance.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how he then took him to a nearby petrol station where Owen had earlier stashed a bottle full of petrol.

'Chop up'

Gavin Doig, prosecuting, said Owen got out of the car, retrieved the petrol from its hiding place and beckoned Mr Oberman to follow, the hearing was told.

He then threw the petrol over Mr Oberman and flicked a lighter at him, demanding his keys.

Owen then got into the car and eventually dropped his victim off at Jarrow Metro station, but only after he had threatened to "chop up" his family.

Owen was arrested the next day in Bowburn, County Durham, while trying to change the stolen car's number plates.

He was sentenced to a total of five years and nine months for robbery, two counts of driving while disqualified, making off without payment and theft of car number plates.