Calvin Hall Wiki – Calvin Hall Biography
Calvin Hall petrol bombed a working man’s club in revenge after he was asked to leave in an argument over a face mask.
Heavily intoxicated fire-raiser Hall later threw another petrol bomb at a police officer sitting in his car, but the constable accelerated forward to avoid the homemade device.
Age
He is 23 years old.
Incident Details
Durham Crown Court was told CCTV footage showed Hall throwing the first Molotov cocktail at the closed staff entrance to Quarrington Hill Workingmen’s Club at 9.30 pm on May 24.
Jolyon Perks, prosecuting, said it ignited on impact and caused some fire damage before patrons at the club could extinguish the flames.
Mr Perks said Hall had been in the premises earlier playing pool, and although he showed no hostility, he had to be repeatedly told to wear a face mask.
Following the petrol bombing, Hall fled the scene, but an hour later rang the police and claimed responsibility without giving his name.
In a further call, at 11.38 pm, he rang police again to say there was ‘some dangerous boys’ throwing petrol in nearby Kelloe.
He gave his name and said he was ‘fresh out of West Park’, a psychiatric hospital in Darlington, adding that he ‘had a screw loose.
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Mr Perks said Hall threatened to ‘burn out’ every car parked in Front Street.
Arriving at the scene, a lone officer tried to engage with Hall from his car window. Still, the abusive defendant, standing alongside a fuel canister, threw a petrol bomb towards the vehicle.
It burst into flames on the road, and the officer remained at the end of the street, keeping Hall in view until other officers arrived.
Trial
Ian Mullarkey, mitigating, said the defendant has mental health issues, with ADHD and depression, and had been in West Park late last year, but on his release made his problems worse by his overuse of drink and drugs.
He described Hall’s action that night as ‘a cry for help, while his mental health has fluctuated since he was admitted to custody.
The court heard a psychiatric report concluded he had no previous history of fire-raising, and there was nothing to suggest a risk of future repetition.
Imposing a three-year prison sentence, Judge Ray Singh told Hall: ‘To a large extent you bring these issues on yourself because you drink and take drugs.
‘That’s when the position exacerbates, and your inhibitions reduce.’
