Man threatened to burn down petrol station, court told

A MAN lifted a petrol pump and threatened to turn himself and a service station into a fireball in a built-up area of Coleraine, the town’s magistrates court heard yesterday.

Jamie Mark Thomas McCann (21) of Mount Carmel Heights, Strabane, is charged with attempting to damage or destroy Strand Service Station by fire on August 27 this year.

He is also charged with stealing a packet of cigarettes from the filling station and damaging a sign there on the same date.

He is also accused of being disorderly in Strand Road; assaulting a male and a police officer; resisting another officer in the execution of his duty; causing criminal damage to a police car and two charges of damaging a PSNI cell.

A previous court was told McCann stole a packet of cigarettes from the filling station. A prosecutor added: “Police received additional information that the male proceeded to the forecourt of the garage, lifted a petrol

Multiple charges: Jamie McCann

pump and threatened to burn both himself and the premises.”

McCann ended up in accident and emergency after allegedly trying to headbutt a police officer who was arresting him and punching a camera in custody, breaking his own wrist.

The earlier court also heard McCann was an intruder at a Co Tyrone hotel and was allegedly carrying a knife and wearing a chef ’s hat and apron on July 18.

The prosecutor said the words “IRA hahaha” were daubed in blood-smeared graffiti in a locker room which had been broken into at Glenavon House in Cookstown in July this year.

McCann faces charges of burglary, theft, criminal damage and having a blade in a public place.

A prosecutor said a man was seen walking around carrying a chef’s knife and dressed in a hat and apron. CCTV footage allegedly showed the intruder arrive at the hotel on a BMX, force open the locker and remove the items before entering the kitchen and restaurant.

When confronted, he claimed he was there to start work, but no staff recognised him, the prosecutor said. When he was confronted a second time he made off on the bike, leaving the hat, apron and knife behind.

McCann was arrested after a member of the public reported a man near the hotel, lying beside the BMX allegedly stolen earlier that morning.

Previously, a defence barrister said his client had addiction and mental health issues.

Yesterday District Judge Liam McNally adjourned the Coleraine matters until November and said the Cookstown case will go to Dungannon Court in December.