A DUO of men stood by and blocked a man set on fire from escaping a near fatal petrol attack.

Paul Bruns and Ben Ince were part of a group of four people who set out to kill a man in Southchurch Road, Southend back in October 2019.

The victim, a man in his 40s, went outside and was doused with petrol by Alan Archer and Jane Reilly, before being set on fire, all captured on CCTV.

He managed to get away before being followed by the suspects, when he was then assaulted and set on fire for a second time.

The victim sustained burns on 60 percent of his body and lost four toes.

Bruns, 53, of York Road, Southend and Ince, 41, of no fixed address were arrested along with Reilly and Archer.

Archer, 33, of Dexter Close, Grays and Reilly, 53, of Fairmead Avenue, Westcliff, were jailed for 24 years each for the attempted murder.

Echo:

Jane Reilly and Alan Archer

At their trial, the jury heard the victim had been attacked because Reilly was angry he had pawned a watch, worth only a few pounds, which she had given him.

Bruns and Ince went through two trials, each denying that they knew about what Reilly and Archer planned to do.

After the first jury failed to reach verdicts, a second convicted them at Basildon Crown Court yesterday.

Sentencing the two to 21 years in prison each, Judge Samantha Leigh said: "I don't accept that you two didn't know what was going on, orthat you couldn't see what was going on.

"He [the victim] tried to run and it's at this point that you two got out of the car and Bruns went ot the back of the car and Ince went to the top of the car.

"I am satisfied that was to block him from running away."

She added: "Bruns, you took the same collective amnesia stance saying you couldn't recall or had aged recollection.

"I don't believe you when you gave evidence that you could not know what was happening literally meters from your eyes."

Det Cons Neil Utley, of Southend CID, said: “The ordeal the victim was subjected to was unimaginable.

“The fact the motive behind the attack was so petty makes it all the more galling.

“The attack was calculated, pre-planned and callous and will affect the victim mentally and physically for some time to come.

“I hope the fact we’ve been able to bring his attacker’s to justice will help him to move forward.”