Preston Crown Court told man, 29, forced block of flats in Blackpool to be evacuated after setting fire
A block of flats had to be evacuated after an autistic tenant tried to burn it down, a court heard.
Shane Haigh set fire to a tea towel and a plastic bag in his oven after a row with his long-time girlfriend.
The blaze was quickly put out by firefighters and the 29-year-old was arrested for attempted arson and damage to property.
A judge at Preston Crown Court made Haigh the subject of a community order and told him: “You have now learned a lesson – you don’t do that in the future.”
Recorder Geoffrey Lowe was told Haigh lived in assisted accommodation in Queens Promenade, Blackpool and was under the supervision of a support carer.
There were up to seven flats in the block and his apartment was on the first floor. He had been seeing another of the occupants for some years but it was a “volatile” relationship with regular arguments.
One evening the couple started to row about something which had happened while the woman was out in town. His support worker heard him shout at her: “I’m going to kill you. I’m going to burn the building down.”
The support worker and a colleague spoke to Haigh, but then it was realised he had set fire to a tea towel and plastic bag in the oven which was on full blast.
The building had to be evacuated while the fire was put out. Haigh was said to be agitated, shouting and screaming about what he had done. But he was trying to stop people getting into the kitchen.
Police were called and he was arrested. The fire caused only minor damage. A fire brigade report said the tea towel and plastic bag had been deliberately placed in the oven and set alight.
Later Haigh admitted he had not been taking his medication on the day of the incident.
Sentencing him Recorder Lowe said Haigh had autism and other mental health problems.
But he told him: “You know what you did. You were having an argument with your girlfriend who you had been with for a number of years.
“Things tend to overwhelm you. You did a very foolish thing. You did it not knowing what the effect of starting a fire was.
“Remember, don’t set fires again, otherwise you may not be let off so lightly. You know you can go to prison for this sort of thing. And you don’t want to go to prison.”
Haigh was given a community order for 12 months with a requirement to complete 15 rehabilitation activity days. The judge did not impose a separate penalty for the damage offence.