A DEESIDE man who threw a petrol bomb at a friend’s window has been jailed for four years and eight months.

Jared Mustoe was told by Judge David Hale he had terrified Elwyn Davies and his family when he lobbed the incendiary device at his property in Chevrons Road, Shotton, on December 1.

Mustoe was in a drunken rage when he was frogmarched off Mr Davies’ property after an altercation.

He went round the corner to his late mother’s home in Grosvenor Road to get petrol and a glass container from a shed.

He claimed he had only wanted to frighten Mr Davies, but Judge Hale told him at Mold Crown Court: “You deliberately went home and got an accelerant.

"There was no excuse doing what you did.

“A dispute broke out which doesn’t matter, but it was because you were drunk that you went back to your home to get petrol which you put in a glass container and then went with a cigarette lighter to the house you had just left.

“You set fire to it and the window erupted in flames. It was terrifying for those inside. It is such a dangerous offence.”

The arson attack was sparked after Mustoe made comments about Mr Davies’ daughter and he was asked to leave by Mr Davies' wife.

He was eventually pushed out of the rear garden and was said to have left the house “in a mood”.

Shortly afterwards the Davies family heard a loud bang by their window and watched as their ground floor window was engulfed in flames. Fortunately, the fire did not catch hold and the damage was described in court as “minimal” and restricted to the window frame.

Prosecutor Brian Treadwell said Mustoe was seen fleeing and Mr Davies ran after him shouting: “I thought we were friends.”

A search of the defendant's Mustoe’s property uncovered two bottles of accelerants and two petrol cans.

Mustoe told police his intention was not to harm, but to frighten the Davies family.

Mr Davies said in a statement that Mustoe had been a long-standing family friend and he felt that his behaviour had been out of character.

His wife said they feared reprisals and had changed their letter box and were also considering installing CCTV cameras.

Mustoe, 27, of Grosvenor Road, Shotton, pleaded guilty to committing arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered.

Defence barrister Myles Wilson said Mustoe had completed a restorative justice course and was genuinely remorseful.

“His intention was to frighten them and luckily the fire did not get hold,” Mr Wilson said.

“He was mentally poorly at the time and mixing that with alcohol exacerbated things.

“His pre-sentence report tells of his struggles with anxiety and depression.

"He has had cognitive behavioural therapy and seems to be socially isolated.

“Since the death of his mother he has gone downhill.”

Mustoe was told to pay a victim surcharge of £170 on his release.