AN ARMED Forces veteran squirted petrol through the letterbox of a local political party office but ‘did not have the heart’ to light the pool of flammable liquid, a court heard.

Paul Eames, of Artillery Place, Harrow Weald, was said to have contemplated trying to burn down Harrow East Conservative Association office in Headstone Lane, Harrow, on March 22, because he ‘felt let down’ when a shift in Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition welfare policy meant he lost benefit payments.

The 47-year-old appeared at Harrow Crown Court on Monday and admitted attempted arson at the ground floor premises, which has flats above and was empty because he struck at 2am.

Prosecutor Dipan Varsani said: “He had poured petrol through the letterbox. Reports received from railway staff nearby described the defendant acting suspiciously outside the address and at one stage he was seen with some sort of jerry can at the petrol station.

“Police attended at about 2am and the defendant was seen by officers wearing dark clothing and smelling of petrol.”

They searched Eames’ car and found a washing up liquid bottle containing petrol, as well as black woollen gloves, plastic gloves, a balaclava and a bottle of vodka.

Ruwani Hewage, defending Eames, said he was diagnosed with depression and post traumatic stress disorder due to his service in the Armed Forces and was under the supervision of a mental health team and a social worker.

She said: “He didn’t have the heart to set the fire so he walked away. It is a very unfortunate and sad situation he finds himself in.

“At the time of the offence, he tells me that he was more unstable and now, in fact, he has made a bit more progress since he was released on bail.”

Judge Graham Arran said: “He had lost a benefit due to a recent change in the law and he thought the government had let him down.

“Had he proceeded, there was a danger to local residents. This could have been a true disaster.”

Judge Arran deferred sentencing until August 27 and told Eames he could expect a non-custodial sentence as long as he continued his voluntary treatment and there were no problems.

Prosecutors offered no evidence for a second charge of attempted arson with intent to endanger life, and the charge was dropped.