A MAN who doused his ground floor flat with petrol in a suicide pact with his partner has been jailed for five years.

John Mudie was seen by terrified neighbours smoking a cigarette after soaking his clothes with the fuel.

Earlier the 37-year-old and his partner, Melanie Ogden, had tried to kill themselves with drug overdoses.

Mudie and his partner were both soaked with petrol, as was the inside of their flat in Station Road, Westbury.

Rob Welling, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court the flat was on the ground floor of a block of four.

He said directly above Mudie and Ogden's flat was the home of Sonia Hughes and her partner Mr Webb.

Mr Welling said: "At about 10.30am when Ms Hughes and Mr Webb were approached by the defendant who told them he had taken an overdose with his partner.

"Ms Hughes and Mr Webb called an ambulance and followed them to the Royal United Hospital where they learned the couple had discharged themselves without receiving any treatment.

"Ms Hughes said at about 7.30pm she was taking out the rubbish when she saw the defendant. He was smoking and there was a strong smell of petrol on his clothing.

"It was clear the clothing was soaked with it as was the entire floor area of the flat.

"An empty five litre petrol can was found near the premises.

"Mudie told Ms Hughes he was going to kill himself. She asked him whether he cared about anyone else in the building but he said nothing. Mr Webb called the police.

"Mudie's partner Mel also had petrol all over her.

"The police arrived and the defendant was challenged by PC O'Neill. He told him 'I have had enough, I am going to kill myself'. He said he had not seen his children since 1997."

Mr Welling said by the time police arrived Mudie had extinguished his cigarette but had a lighter in his hand."

Mudie was arrested and agreed he had doused petrol all over the flat and his clothing but said he couldn't remember everything.

Mr Welling said other residents of the building were left anxious after the incident and were unable to sleep.

He added the landlord of the property had been left with an uninsurable loss of between £1,000 and £1,500.

Mudie pleaded guilty to attempted arson with intent to endanger life or being reckless as to whether life was endangered.

Helen Guest, defending, said despite spreading the petrol about her client had a change of heart and decided not to set light to the building.

"In the pre-sentence report he said 'If I had known I would put other lives at risk I wouldn't have done it '.

Jailing him, Judge Charles Wade said: "This was a dreadful thing to do. I would be failing in my duty to the public if I didn't send you to prison."