Incredible footage has shown the moment a group of police officers rushed a man attempting to start a fire at a petrol station.
CCTV footage from an Asda petrol station in Bournemouth shows the man, wearing white trainers, black trousers and a grey long-sleeve, carrying a backpack, taking one of the fuel nozzles out and placing it on the ground before crouching next to it with a lighter. As he attempts to touch the flame to the fuel, a police officer is seen approaching the man, who then turns and runs. The footage, shared by Dorset Police, cuts to a shot inside the petrol station’s shop, with the man circled in yellow seen attempting to flee as several more officers approach, chasing after the young man.
Police were first called at around 10.15pm on September 6 last year, when a man was spotted trespassing on the railway tracks near Bournemouth train station. As a result of the trespasser, power was shut off and travel was disrupted.
The man had walked through multiple ‘no entry’ signs before climbing over a metal railing and making his way to Asda petrol station on Holdenhurst Road. While at the petrol station, he tried to release fuel from the pumps before repeatedly attempting to ignite a lighter.
After his failed first attempt, he climbed onto the roof of the forecourt, where he sat for a number of minutes. While up there, he ripped off slate, metal and glass from the roof, throwing it down onto the forecourt, posing a serious risk to anyone nearby.
He later climbed down from the roof, trying once again to get fuel from a pump while igniting his lighter. One officer approached the man, attempting to bring the incident to a safe resolution, however, once he spotted the officer he fled the scene.
He was chased by multiple officers and eventually detained – during which he bit an officer’s thigh. As a result, 31-year-old Rory James Bolton Mayoh, from Shaftesbury, was arrested and charged.
He pleaded guilty to attempted arson, common assault of an emergency worker, criminal damage and affray. He was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court last week to four years in prison.
Police Constable Harry Roissetter, of Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch Police’s Criminal Investigation Department, said: “The completely reckless actions of Mayoh could have had very serious, tragic consequences for staff at the petrol station, members of the public in the area and officers attending the incident. Thankfully, staff at the petrol station noticed Mayoh’s behaviour and were able to prevent fuel from being released.
“The quick-thinking and brave actions of officers enabled Mayoh to be detained and the incident was brought to a safe resolution. A detailed investigation by detectives was subsequently carried out, which has secured a jail sentence for the defendant for his unacceptable dangerous behaviour.”
At Reach and across our entities we and our partners use information collected through cookies and other identifiers from your device to improve experience on our site, analyse how it is used and to show personalised advertising. You can opt out of the sale or sharing of your data, at any time clicking the “Do Not Sell or Share my Data” button at the bottom of the webpage. Please note that your preferences are browser specific. Use of our website and any of our services represents your acceptance of the use of cookies and consent to the practices described in our Privacy Notice and Cookie Notice.
