Darlington man jailed for setting fire in block of flats

Mark Armit took advantage when the victim left the flats and headed into Darlington town centre, Teesside Crown Court heard.

The 42-year-old entered his rivals flat and started a fire on the sofa and in a bin before returning to his own flat.

Rachel Masters, prosecuting, said the alarm was raised when the victim returned to his flat to discover the property filled with smoke and fires smouldering in the bin and on a sofa on October 8 last year.

Read more: Judge praises family's dignity as son's chaotic lifestyle laid bare in court

She said: “When he got to the flat he could smell smoke coming from the door. The hallway was full of smoke and he couldn’t see past it.

“He knew he hadn’t left an electrics plugged in and hadn’t been smoking in the flat, so concluded that the fire had been started deliberately.

“The sofa was on fire and the bin was also on fire. The complainant rang the fire brigade and told the defendant he had to leave the flat but didn’t seem bothered.”

When Armit eventually left the flats, he was carrying a kitchen knife and began to racially abuse one the police officers, the court heard.

Mark Armit (Image: Durham Constabulary)

Armit, of Montrose Street, Darlington, pleaded guilty to arson being reckless as to whether he endangered life, possession of a bladed article and racially aggravated harassment.

He was also convicted of breaching a suspended sentence imposed for a commercial premises burglary.

Martin Towers, mitigating, said his client was in the grip of a mental health crisis at the time when he started the fires.

Read next:

• Darlington thug punched and kicked girlfriend before strangling her unconscious
• Man jailed for ten years for the manslaughter of Mark Robinson
• Thug strangled partner before smashing up their home in drunken rage

He added: “His mental health does contribute substantially in this case. He does have a documented history of hearing voices which goes back as far as 2006 and he has spent a significant period of time on anti-psychotic medication.”

Flats on Montrose Street, Darlington (Image: Google)

Judge Stephen Ashurst accepted the defendant’s mental health issues had contributed to his offending as he jailed him for a total of three years and six months.

“Your behaviour towards one of the police officers was disgraceful,” he said. “Those who set fire to places where other people live must go to prison.”