of throwing gasoline on a bar security guard and attempting to set him on fire.

After three hours of deliberation, ten out of 12 jury members returned to court and pronounced Robert Reginald Smith, of North Shore Road, guilty of using an article of flammable liquid with intent to cause harm.

But the jury was unanimous in finding Smith not guilty of a separate charge of causing grievous bodily harm.

In previous testimony the former head of security at the Sparrows Nest bar on Reid Street, Benjamin Smith, said the accused began to cause a disturbance at the bar by fondling other male patrons, and holding his own private parts on June 25 last year.

Other members of the bar said they asked Benjamin Smith to intervene -- which he did -- despite the fact that he was off-duty.

Robert Smith swore at the security guard and a fight ensued, which resulted in the Smith being escorted out of the bar.

Smith, who did not take the stand, denied in his Police statement that he swore at the security guard or hit him.

He said he was talking to his girlfriend, with his sore feet up on the chair, when the security guard came up to him and demanded he behave himself.

"Shouldn't you have a uniform on?'' Smith said he asked the guard. And he added that his girlfriend told the guard to leave him alone.

Smith admitted he had at least 10 drinks that night and did not recall anything from the first time he was thrown out of the bar until the next morning when the Police woke him up.

"All I remember after that is waking up in bed,'' he said. "I don't know how I got home.'' But the former security guard told the court he was surprised to see Smith return to the bar ten minutes after being thrown out.

"After my vision cleared I saw he was carrying a white plastic bowl,'' he said. "And I asked: Is that gasoline?'' He said the two of them then fought again.

He claimed that Smith threw the gasoline at him and attempted to light him with matches, but the bowl (with gasoline) was knocked from his hand.

"My whole life flashed before my eyes,'' he said.

However, the former guard admitted to defence lawyer Ms Sharon Kenny that he was confused about whether the gas was deliberately thrown on him or spilled when he knocked it from Smith's hand.

And Crown witness Richard Stanley Lee gave conflicting testimony about the container used to transport the gasoline.

Under cross-examination by Ms Kenny, Lee said Smith brought the gas into the bar in a fire extinguisher-shaped container.

When showed the Tupperware bowl that the former guard had identified as the gasoline container, Lee said it was not the right container.

The guard also testified that Smith returned to the bar with a screwdriver, but the screwdriver was never officially entered as evidence.

He told Ms Kenny he had at least seven drinks that night, but was not drunk and had nothing wrong with his vision.

After yesterday's verdict, both Crown counsel Mr. Khamisi Tokunbo and Ms Kenny refused to comment in detail.

Mr. Tokunbo, however, said he was not surprised at the verdict. And Ms Kenny said she and her client would be considering whether or not to appeal the verdict.

Smith will appear for sentencing on Monday before Puisne Judge the Hon. Mr.

Justice Meerabux.