A TROUBLED dad started potentially-explosive fire at a petrol station to distract staff so he could snatch cash from a till, a court heard.

Peter Cavanagh told police when he was arrested for arson with intent to endanger life: "I'm happy with that . . . will I get ten years?"

The 42-year-old later revealed he had downed a bottle of whisky and three cans of lager, and said: "I've got problems in my personal life."

Cavanagh, of Jute Grove, Hartlepool, was jailed for three years at Teesside Crown Court for what his barrister called "just a stupid act".

Judge Peter Armstrong told him: "The serious aspect was this was at a petrol station, and the trouble with fire is that sparks can fly."

The court heard yesterday that Cavanagh lit a bag of coal at the side of the Warren Service Station in Easington Road, Hartlepool, on November 3.

When one of the two women workers went to investigate a smell of smoke, he struggled with the other inside the kiosk for money from the till.

Prosecutor Sue Jacobs told the court that the blaze was put out by the staff member and Cavanagh was detained by drivers on the forecourt.

Jim Withyman, mitigating, said his depressive illness began when he split from his wife and found out she had run up massive gambling debts.

He is now estranged from his children and has lost his job, Mr Withyman said, but has a new partner and is trying to rebuild his life.

Two references described Cavanagh - never in trouble in the last 20 years - as "a decent, hard-working, honest, kind man", the court heard.

"This, effectively, was an aberration on his behalf," Mr Withyman said. "He greatly regrets it and is embarrassed. It was just a foolish act.

"He doesn't really remember great parts of what happened, but he remembers enough. He is greatly shocked by what he did, frightened by what he did."

Cavanagh admitted robbery, arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered and the theft of chocolate bars as he fled from the garage.

Judge Armstrong told him that he had put the lives of the staff, customers and drivers at risk through his "extremely foolish actions".

The judge added: "It would appear this offence was motivated by your desire to try to get out from under the pile of debt you were in.

"You thought committing an offence and going to prison would be the way out . . . all matters indicate that this was out-of-character."