A MAN who doused his terrified girlfriend in lighter fluid and lit a cigarette has avoided jail.

Odin Perryman, of no fixed address, received a 22-week prison sentence, suspended for two years, on Friday at Oxford Magistrates’ Court.

Perryman admitted assaulting his then-girlfriend Melanie Miah in June, when she thought he was going to set fire to her after squirting her with lighter fluid. Sarah McKay, prosecuting, said the pair had an “on-off” relationship for around two years and had got back together shortly before the assault.

She said during an argument in their bedroom Perryman picked up a can of Zippo lighter fluid and sprayed his girlfriend, before trying to spark a lighter near her face.

A statement from Miss Miah said: “I leaned back and kept pushing him away. I was terrified that I would go up in flames – I was fighting for my life.

“Now I don’t feel safe going back to my home. He was actually trying to set me on fire.”

John Berry, defending, said his client admitted getting lighter fluid on Miss Miah, but insisted it was an accident.

He added that the flammable liquid went all over Perryman as well and he then lit a cigarette while still in the bedroom.

The 36-year-old admitted assault by beating, two counts of criminal damage, and committing an offence while subject to a conditional discharge.

He was made subject to a supervision requirement for 24 months and a restraining order was made banning contact with his victim.