Wedding guests evacuated as dad kicked out of comedy club sets fire to hotel
26.01.2023 - 07:51
/ dailyrecord.co.uk
A group of wedding guests had to be evacuated after a dad kicked out of comedy club set fire to a hotel. Daniel Barker, 39, started the blaze after arguing with his girlfriend over sex.
The 39-year-old was visiting Hot Water Comedy Club in Liverpool last year when he was turfed out after causing drunken disturbances to a show. Following his exit from the popular venue, he then attacked his partner when a row erupted over sexual relations.
Following the argument, she locked herself in the bathroom crying at the Aigburth Hotel. The Liverpool Echo reports that the business owner then started a blaze which saw the building cleared.
Liverpool Crown Court heard earlier today that the 39-year-old and his then girlfriend, Jayne Armstead, were visiting the city from Lincolnshire. The pair had made the trip in order to celebrate his birthday on August 6, 2022.
Katy Appleton, prosecuting, described how the couple attended a gig at the Hot Water Comedy Club but Baker was ejected as he was "disrupting the show". The couple then went to another bar and continued drinking before returning to the Aigburth Hotel.
Following their arrival at the hotel, an argument erupted "about a lack of engagement in sexual activity". The defendant then "became abusive" during this altercation and punched Ms Armstead in the face.
She locked herself in the bathroom as a result, but Baker began shouting at her. He said: "I'm going to set the place on fire if you don't get out now. You are going to die."
The business owner then used a cigarette lighter to ignite a towel which he had placed by the bathroom door and left his "crying and distressed" partner in the room. The fire triggered an alarm, and the hotel's manager escorted Ms Armstead out of the premises.
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