Man jailed over three-hour garage rooftop standoff

Lawry Alison threatened to blow up police and the garage

A man who threatened to set fire to a petrol station and climbed on its roof, sparking a major emergency service response, has been jailed for 27 months.

Lawry Alison, 24, from Polstain Road in Threemilestone, Cornwall, climbed on the roof of Biscovey Garage in St Blazey Gate, near St Austell, on 15 September.

While there, he damaged cabling and antennas and made racial comments to members of staff nearby before he threatened to blow up police and the garage if approached, Truro Crown Court heard.

He pleaded guilty to intentionally/recklessly causing public nuisance, criminal damage, assault, theft from a shop, threat to damage by fire and a racially aggravated public order offence.

Before scaling the roof, Alison had been in the garage and became angry and violent, barging his way out of the store with a bottle of wine, the court was told during the hearing on 24 October.

He returned later and tried to force his way inside by kicking and pulling at the door.

He was unsuccessful and went to fuel pumps, gesturing he had a lighter and was going to start a fire.

Staff disabled the pumps and Alison then climbed on to the garage, resulting in a three-hour road closure.

The court also heard he shouted abuse at a man before striking the victim twice in the face, causing facial injuries, during an incident on 6 September.

Pc Zachary Pomeroy, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said after the case: "We welcome the sentence given by the court to Lawry Alison.

"This was a prolonged incident which resulted in significant loss to the business and disruption to people in the area.

"But, most importantly, Alison's actions were no doubt absolutely terrifying for garage staff and those present at the time."