Man jailed for kebab shop arson threat with BB gun

A man has been jailed and banned from a kebab shop after he drunkenly threatened to burn it down while armed with a BB gun.

Blake Stuart, 32, was first reported to Cumbria Police in January after his card was declined at MyKebab in Middlegate and he allegedly used a racial slur against an employee. He was arrested and bailed with a condition not to go back.

But Carlisle Crown Court heard he did go back in April, after drinking for more than 12 hours. He threatened to destroy the premises if it did not drop its earlier complaint.

Stuart, from Stricklandgate, was jailed for 22 months and banned from visiting, loitering outside, or contacting staff at the kebab shop for three years.

The court heard Stuart returned to the shop at 20:30 BST on 12 April, having been drinking since 07:00.

Police were called to reports that an unknown male - later identified as Stuart - had threatened a shop worker after producing a firearm.

He was identified from CCTV footage which showed him "reaching inside of his gilet pocket, pulling out what appeared to be a gun", prosecutor Tim Evans said.

On the footage Stuart can be heard saying: "We're not lying so you drop them charges.

"You drop them charges. Two weeks time. If they're not dropped, the gang's coming up.

"This spot will be burned down - end of story."

After Stuart was arrested, his home was searched by police who found a black BB gun and a black gilet matching that seen on the footage.

In a police interview, he accepted attending the shop and asking for charges to be dropped but denied firearm possession and threats.

However, when later brought to court, Stuart admitted possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, attempted intimidation and threatening to destroy or damage property.

In an impact statement, the shop worker said: "I cannot stand any panicking situation.

"My hands and feet were trembling.

"I was very scared and I didn't know what to do."

He said the incident left him unable to sleep and he had to take two weeks off work to recover.

John Crawford, defending, said Stuart realised the severity - and "stupidity" - of his actions.

Crawford said his previous crimes had not been so serious.

"This is somewhat out of character to how he has been," he said.

But Judge Michael Fanning said: "You will appreciate there is a lot of gun crime in this country and a lot of knife crime.

"People are scared when weapons are mentioned. They are even more scared when weapons are produced.

"We cannot have a society in which people think they can walk about waving guns in people's faces and threatening serious harm."

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