Man who threw petrol bomb and pointed firearm at police officer, found guilty. The incident took place on New Year’s Day in Boston.
A man who threw a petrol bomb at a police officer before pulling out – what was later discovered to be an imitation firearm – and taking aim in his direction has been found guilty of attempting to cause an explosion with intent to endanger life or seriously damage property, and possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, affray and criminal damage.
Officers responded in the early hours of New Year’s Day following a 999 call reporting that a man – later confirmed to be David Wiatrowski – was using a hammer to smash the windows of Aldi on Queen Street in Boston.
Thanks to the member of the public who called in the incident and gave a commentary on the suspect’s location, he was quickly traced.
One officer headed to the scene in a marked police car, single-crewed. Two other officers who also responded to the 999 call attended the scene and were just getting out of their vehicles when their colleague noticed Wiatrowski had what was believed to be a firearm in a holster on his right hip. He shouted to the officers for them to get back inside their vehicle.
The man was holding a bottle with an unknown liquid and rag in the top (a petrol bomb) which he lit and threw in the direction of one of the offers. Its flammable liquid spilt across the road just short of the car. Thankfully, the bottle did not smash, avoiding a larger explosion.
The man then pulled out the firearm and made a motion of pulling back the slider (as if to cock the gun), aiming it directly and walking towards one of our officers. Although the firearm was later found to be an imitation, the officer had no means of knowing this at the time.
The officer reversed his vehicle, and the man made off in the direction of Friars Gate – all of the above happening in what felt like a blink of an eye.
Incidents of this nature, while well drilled, are not planned and can unfold in seconds. A highly coordinated response was stood up immediately and despite the harrowing events that had just unfolded, all three officers who attended blocked off the road to prevent members of the public from entering the area. They quickly secured the scene and within minutes armed officers had arrived.
The actions of these officers stand as a powerful reminder of the vital role officers play in safeguarding the public and preserving order, even under the most challenging of circumstances.
A search was conducted, where a hammer and discarded petrol bomb were sized for forensic examination. The breadth of the investigation that ensued was extensive – work that is largely unseen by the public but undertaken at pace.
In addition to the ‘golden hour’ house-to-house, and CCTV enquiries which were underway, forensic results from the hammer and bottle had provided DNA of the principal suspect. Detectives were using vast international databases, tapping into a network of European contacts to aid in DNA profiling; yet the suspect proved elusive, absent from every system we searched.
Meanwhile, maximising all investigative means at their disposal, Lincolnshire Police launched a Facebook appeal to support the investigation, using an image that had been captured of a potential suspect filling a container at a nearby petrol station.
A member of the public responded to Lincolnshire Police’s appeal providing a name and, on 10 January, the force arrested a 36-year-old man at his home address in Boston.
There was apparently no motive – he offered that he was bored of life, feeling depressed. He felt like making, what he described as, a ‘Molotov cocktail’ (a petrol bomb). He decided to smash Aldi window for no reason, he stated that he had no intention of entering the premises.
When questioned about his motives for throwing the petrol bomb and pointing what was later found to be an imitation firearm, he said that he wanted to make the officers scared, to think they were going to die. He didn’t appear to have any regard as to the consequences of throwing a petrol bomb or indeed, as to the impact his actions would have on those dealing with or witnessing his actions.
During interview, he admitted to offences of criminal damage and possession of an imitation firearm. However, whilst admitting to making, lighting, and throwing a petrol bomb ‘towards’ officers in interview, the question which has taken this case to trial was whether he intended to cause an explosion which was likely to endanger life or damage property. Following a three-day trial, the jury found him unanimously guilty of attempting to cause an explosion with intent to endanger life or seriously damage property – Section 3 Explosives Substances Act 1883.
Detective Inspector Melissa Rooke said: “This was a calculated and entirely senseless act, carried out with blatant disregard for the impact it would have.
“It’s no surprise that those who responded to this incident were profoundly affected by what they encountered. Our officers faced an individual whose clear objective was to instil fear and potentially inflict serious harm. They responded with enormous bravery – continuing to fulfil their duties before their armed response colleagues arrived and they were directed to leave the scene.
“The actions of these officers stand as a powerful reminder of the vital role our officers play in safeguarding the public and preserving order, even under the most challenging of circumstances.”
Wiatrowski of Bradford Road, Boston, was found guilty of affray, criminal damage, carrying out an act with intent to cause an explosion likely to endanger life, and possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.
He is due to appear at Lincoln Crown Court on 2 October for sentencing.
He is also subject to a deportation order upon completion of his custodial sentence
Wiatrowski attempting to fill a drinking bottle with petrol as part of his plan to make a ‘Molotov cocktail’ (petrol bomb).
