A man deliberately torched a car in a petrol station forecourt after a four-day drugs binge.
Liverpool Crown Court heard how Polish national Krzysztof Sikora put everyone in the vicinity "at extreme risk of injury or death" after setting fire to a parked taxi.
On November 23 last year, a taxi driver visited the Esso petrol station in Albert Road, Southport, to which a Tesco Express store was attached.
At the same time, 32-year-old Sikora also visited the service station, and stole a bottle of engine coolant.
Derek Jones, prosecuting, said Sikora then went to the forecourt, where he emptied the bottle, filled it with petrol from a pump, emptied it over the taxi driver's car, parked by the petrol pump, and set fire to it.
He then yelled "this is for murdering the Slovakians" before making off from the scene.
Fortunately, the prompt actions of the forecourt shop manager in extinguishing the blaze prevented the incident from having more serious consequences.
However the blaze caused damage estimated at around £1,000 to the taxi. Neither the driver nor Sikora knew each other.
Mr Jones said: "There were staff at work in the station, as well as members of the public - including two females with children in prams. There were also nearby residential properties which were put at risk by the smoke."
When he was arrested shortly afterwards nearby, Sikora was at first taken to hospital for treatment for burns to his hands. While there, he threw a glass of water at a police officer who was trying to help him.
Mr Jones said Sikora committed the actions while experiencing a "psychotic episode" as a result of a four-day binge on amphetamines.
A few hours before the petrol station incident, Sikora had been involved in a crash in Ormskirk.
However, police simply put him in a taxi to be driven to his home address in Albany Road, Southport.
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Damian Nolan, defending, stressed that his client was not a pyromaniac and he had derived no "emotional satisfaction" from committing the offence.
He added that his comment about the Slovakians after torching the car was "part and parcel of his odd behaviour that day. It does not represent any particular prejudice towards anyone based on their nationality."
Sikora had earlier pleaded guilty to two charges of arson and being reckless as to whether life was endangered, and assault on an emergency worker.
The court heard how his actions could have led to a major conflagration due to the proximity of petrol pumps and underground storage tankers.
Judge Gary Woodhall told shaven-headed Sikora, who appeared by videolink from HMP Liverpool: "I am persuaded you put people at risk of serious harm.
"The rapid intervention of the shop manager in putting out the fire undoubtedly prevented escalation into a much more serious fire.
"The cause of this offending was an argument with your partner. She having moved out, you responded by using drugs and not sleeping for four days.
"This was not a truly impulsive offence. You stole the coolant and multiple people were endangered, not just those in the store but in neighbouring properties."
He jailed Sikora for a total of two-and-a-half years, of which he must serve half before being released on licence.
