AN ALCOHOLIC who brutally assaulted his ex-wife before dousing her and himself in petrol and setting it alight has been jailed for a minimum of three years.

Bogdan Kolenski, 48, of Mayor’s Walk, Peterborough, carried out the attack at 1am on October 13 last year, Cambridge Crown Court heard.

He broke into the home in Williamson Avenue, Peterborough, where his former wife of 20 years was living and attacked the 47-year-old as she went to use the bathroom.

She attempted to run but he sprayed her in the face with CS spray. He then pushed her into the bath and punched her to the face and head about 10 times, breaking her nose and causing her to bleed.

The victim attempted to escape and ran into a hallway where her 25-year-old daughter and her daughter’s boyfriend were standing after hearing the commotion.

Kolenski began emptying the contents of a soft drinks bottle, believed to be petrol, over the three of them and himself before lighting it with a lighter from his pocket.

The victim and her daughter’s boyfriend ran before returning to put out the fire that was burning on the first two steps of a staircase.

Her daughter ran through the smoke and flames on the stairs to get her three-year-old daughter who was still upstairs.

Everyone in the house was taken to hospital for treatment but no one was seriously hurt by the fire.

Kolenski was arrested several hours after the crime when he was spotted by officers on patrol. He was found with a rucksack containing a bottle full of white spirit, a small bottle half full with vodka, bottles containing a liquid believed to be petrol, and a small knife.

Officers also found various items discarded in the garden of a neighbouring property, including empty alcohol bottles, a petrol can nozzle, a lighter, an axe, a kitchen knife and head torch.

Yesterday, Kolenski was given an indeterminate sentence, to serve a minimum of three years before being considered for parole, after pleading guilty to arson - reckless as to whether life endangered - at an earlier hearing.

He also received a 12-month sentence for causing grievous bodily harm and a six-month sentence for possessing a Section 5 firearm, namely CS spray, both to run concurrently. He admitted both offences at an earlier hearing.

DC Lee Crane, who led the investigation, said: “This was a brutal attack followed by an arson which risked the lives of several people.

“Luckily, the victims were not seriously injured but they were left shocked and shaken by what happened.

“Kolenski will now have time to consider the seriousness of his crime and the potentially horrific consequences.”

Kolenski was married to the victim for 20 years and had four children with her but they divorced in 2006 in Poland.

Both moved to England during 2007 and in January 2008 they moved to separate addresses.

Kolenski began harassing and threatening his ex-wife and his behaviour worsened before the incident took place in October.