You’re all going to die

JAILED . . .Michael Marler

Man douses family in meths - threatens to kill them

AN Oldham man who who doused his former girl friend and her parents in methylated spirits and threatened to kill them was jailed for over four years yesterday.

Michael Marler (49), from Ninth Avenue, Limeside, burst into their Hollinwood home armed with a five–litre bottle of meths and repeatedly shouted: “You are all going to die.”

Vanessa Thomson, prosecuting at Manchester Crown Court, said Marler’s five–year relationship with Ameila Snaith (36) had recently broken down when the incident occurred.

At the time, he was on bail for other offences and was banned from contacting the family.

Marler tried to contact his ex–partner through her parents and when they would not tell him where she was he threatened to “torch the house”.

Ms Snaith, who had a heart transplant in 2004 and was on kidney dialysis, told police the relationship was peppered with domestic violence.

Ms Snaith, who has since moved away from the area, claimed Marler once chased after her with a Samurai sword.

On the afternoon of November 30, Marler forced his way into the house in Higher Lime Road, Hollinwood, and doused Penelope Hartley (65) with meths.

Mrs Hartley, who is disabled and uses a walking stick, said in a statement: “I genuinely thought I was going to die. My husband and I can’t rest in our house.”

Marler then drenched Ms Snaith, who was lying on the couch watching a film in her pyjamas, before pouring it over her 67-year-old father Graham Hartley.

Miss Thomson said Marler was “incredibly angry and very excitable” and shouted: “You’re all going to die.”

She said that when Marler was arrested, he threw objects at police and barricaded himself into a room, before telling them: “I don’t know why I did it. I love that woman. I’d do anything for her.”

Police found two lighters and suicide letters on him.

Marler pleaded guilty to three counts of making threats to kill.

He was jailed for four years and four months and will be on licence for three years when he is released.

Judge Michael Henshell said: “Those three people all believed that day they were going to die and suffer horribly at your hands.”