The sounding of a smoke alarm potentially saved the life of a man sleeping upstairs in his home, after his son set light to furnishings downstairs, before leaving the property.

Jordan Coverdale, who was responsible for previous fire scares at both his parents’ homes, has now received a six-year extended determinate sentence, with a four-year custodial element, for the latest arson.

The sentence was imposed after a judge said he considered Coverdale to be, “a dangerous offender, posing a high risk”, not only to his parents but also to the general public and to himself.

Durham Crown Court was told that as a teenager Coverdale, now 24, was arrested over fires started at the homes of his father and his mother, as well as to his father’s car.

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But, Sam Faulks, prosecuting, said no court action was taken against him over those fires.

Mr Faulks said the latest incident arose after Coverdale had been staying at his father’s home, in Peterlee, for two days, from September 20, last year.

On the evening of September 22, he and his father had been drinking at the house and the defendant seemed to have been in a good mood.

After his father went to bed later in the evening he shouted down to Coverdale that the key to the front door was on the table.

Mr Faulks said Coverdale replied that he had got it and there was then the sound of the door being locked.

But at 10.20pm Mr Coverdale senior was awoken by the fire alarm and went downstairs to find the sitting room engulfed in flames.

Mr Faulks said there appeared to be three main seats of fire, two sofas and a Christmas tree, so he ran outside to get his hose pipe before attempting to extinguish the flames.

He then went outside to catch his breath, before returning to the house and discovering £80 was missing from a bottle, plus some pound coins from the mantelpiece, as well as lighter fluid and a cigarette lighter.

Mr Faulks said Mr Coverdale told police it was similar to a fire started by the defendant, in the living room, while he and his other son were asleep upstairs, about ten years earlier.

On that occasion it appeared that he tried to put it out, before leaving the house with a push bike.

Mr Faulks said Mr Coverdale was also woken by the fire alarm going off in that incident and he tried his best to extinguish the flames from the coffee table. but suffered some minor injuries in doing so.

The court was told that on discovering the latest fire, Mr Coverdale said he immediately thought: “Oh no, not again!”

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Appearing via video link to the court from nearby Durham Prison, Coverdale, of Welland Close, Peterlee, admitted arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered and theft of money, cigarettes and lighter fuel belonging to his father.

Jane Waugh, in mitigation, said the defendant suffers with learning difficulties and adhd. and a psychiatric report prepared for the hearing outlined that he has “urges” to set fire to his father’s house.

“The author of the psychiatric report suggests his impulsivity led to this behaviour, and also the fact he has little understanding of the consequences of his actions.

“He’s now aware, if he wasn’t before, because he has been remanded in custody, that he must do something about the fire setting.

“He doesn’t want anything to do with lighters any more and he’s determined to give up smoking.

“He wants to work with doctors on his release, so he can be helped.”

Miss Waugh said while in custody he has been working in horticulture and has been on medication to an extent where the prison does not feel he’s displaying significant symptoms of adhd.

She added: “This is a young man who has had mental health difficulties throughout his life and has had issues with his father.

“On the night in question he panicked when he realised he couldn’t put the fire out when he’d started it in three different seats.

“He panicked and left the house without making his father aware of it.

“This is someone who, effectively, isn’t doing these things because he is wilfully trying to cause problems, more that he doesn’t understand what he’s doing and even if he can, he can't control his impulsivity.

“He’s not going out of his way to harm people.”

Judge James Adkin told Miss Waugh: “I have grave concern about this defendant’s interest in setting fires.

“I have no doubt the smoke alarm saved his (father’s) life, having seen the damage caused.

“Clearly there’s a high risk of very serious physical harm.

“In mitigation it’s advanced he has no previous convictions, but that’s not the full picture, having previously started fire while his father was asleep, and one at his mother’s house."

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Addressing Coverdale, Judge Adkin told him: “You are, sadly, one of those offenders who gets pleasure from setting fires.

“It seems to me you need to have careful supervision when you are released.”

The effect of the sentence is that Coverdale must serve at least two-thirds of the custodial element of four years before he may be released, but, when he is released he will be subject to two-years’ licence supervision.