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Drunk twins who soaked themselves in petrol and threatened to blow up a garage in Kent during a stand-off with police have been jailed. 

The early hours incident this spring saw Brittany and Bethany Lee attempt to spark a fire with a lighter at an Esso station in Canterbury.  

The 23-year-olds doused themselves in fuel from three different pumps at around 3am, before being verbally abusive to police, Canterbury Crown Court heard. 

Brittany and Bethany, who have 40 convictions and 80 offences between them, were jailed for nearly four years.

Prosecutor Vishal Misra said: ‘Officers were made aware of Bethany and Brittany being at Lakeside petrol station in Canterbury. 

‘They stated in a phone call to police they planned on killing themselves and blowing the petrol station up. 

‘Bethany Lee said she was seeking to set herself on fire and also the Esso petrol station.’ 

Mr Misra said that 20 minutes after officers arrived at the garage on April 10 the twins threatened to set themselves alight if police came closer. 

He added: ‘Bethany was seen with a lighter, trying to discharge the lighter.’ 

After the flame failed to ignite, the pair fled the garage and were arrested following a brief chase. 

They refused to watch CCTV footage of their crime. 

But the video played in court showed them drunkenly pouring petrol over themselves for about five minutes before shouting at police. 

Staff deactivated the pumps and only residual fuel flowed out of the nozzles. 

Bodycam footage, also played in court, revealed officers describing a ‘strong smell of fuel’ after chasing and arresting the women. 

Brittany, of Canterbury, and Bethany, of Blean, had significant cuts and bruises on their faces when they appeared before the judge. 

Psychiatrists ruled the twins did not have psychiatric issues linked to their behaviour. 

However, their lawyer explained both suffered emotional instability from a young age and self-harmed together and their actions had been escalating. 

Phil Rowley, mitigating for Bethany, said she has had a ‘troubling and challenging’ early life and pleaded guilty at an early opportunity. 

Charlotte Oliver, mitigating for Brittany, echoed Mr Rowley’s points and added the twins have formed a ‘destructive alliance.’ 

Judge Mark Weekes told the twins that their crime was ‘in large part a desire to seek attention.’ 

He added: ‘You ran the risk of killing yourselves, of killing the other sister, or maiming yourselves, or the other sister, or those in the filling station. 

‘It must have been a very frightening time for all concerned.’ 

The Lees pleaded guilty to attempted arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered. 

They were each jailed for three years and nine months. 

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