A THUG who threatened to stab a car wash boss and set fire to the business has been spared jail.
Peter Owens, 42, made the threats after he claims the car wash had damaged at least one of the wheels on his S-type Jaguar.
Owens, of Sydenham Road, in Hartlepool, has 34 convictions for 67 offences since 1987, and was found guilty of two counts of blackmail last year.
But he avoided jail today at Teesside Crown Court as he was handed an 18-month jail sentence suspended for two years.
Owens was also given a supervision order for 18 months and a two-year restraining order.
BUY Tuesday’s Mail to read the full story.