Man's arson threat

Christopher Scott was not a guest at The Sheraton Hotel, but arrived there in the early hours and also threatened to knife a night porter if the man did not give him his room key.

When police arrived, Scott, who had over-indulged on wine and liqueur at Christmas dinner hours earlier, clung to a fire extinguisher and later claimed officers tried to ‘truss him like a turkey’.

Scott, 42, of Beach Road, Cleveleys, who works for a Fleetwood fish distributors, pleaded guilty to threatening behaviour.

He was fined £340 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £34 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Presiding magistrate, David Cartain, told him: “I would have imagined the night porter would have been very frightened. Drink is a terrible thing and if people can’t take drink and behaved in a civil manner they end up in court.”

Steven Townley, defending, said his client, who had no previous convictions, had had Christmas dinner at his girlfriend’s nearby. He had drunk wine and Sambucca, then he felt sick and went outside for some fresh air.

Mr Townley added: “He appears to have gone walkabout. He was appalled and ashamed when told what he did.”