Images of the devastation caused by an arsonist in an explained attack on his own flat have been revealed after he was jailed this week.

Reece Murphy set fire to bedding and then left the flat, in Gofton Walk, West Denton, Newcastle, barricading and locking the door to hinder access for the emergency services.

He failed to report the blaze and it was left to neighbours, seeing smoke emerging from the flat, to raise the alert, on the evening of February 24 this year, some being forced to evacuate their own properties as a precaution.

Murphy was seen outside the flat, wandering around and muttering, and was administered with oxygen by paramedics.

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Northumbria Police immediately began an investigation and arrested Murphy on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life.

The damage to his social housing property was estimated at more than £18,000.

The Northern Echo: The trail of devastation left by arsonist Reece Murphy at his fire-hit flat in Newcastle, earlier

Murphy, 29, admitted arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered and one count of malicious communications, relating to a previous mischievous report to police.

As reported in The Northern Echo, on Wednesday (September 20) the defendant, diagnosed as suffering with paranoid schizophrenia, was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment, to be followed by an extended three-year licence period.

Read more: Neighbours spotted blazing Newcastle flat and alerted fire brigade

Following the sentencing hearing, Detective Inspector Ben McIntosh, of Northumbria Police, said: “It is incredibly fortunate that Murphy’s despicable actions did not cause serious injury to himself or other people on the night he started the fire.

“He showed a total disregard to the law and the property of others, and, after starting the blaze, he made it more difficult for responders to put the fire out by barricading the door to his home.

"Had emergency services not responded as quickly as they did, his actions could have caused a huge amount of damage, not only to his own home but to neighbouring properties.

“We are grateful to all of the witnesses who came forward to assist us in our investigation into this incident."

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Det Insp McIntosh added: “Murphy is now rightly behind bars after admitting his heinous crimes where he will have time to reflect on what he has done."

“I hope the sentence handed down sends out a strong message that this type of behaviour will simply not be tolerated, and we will look to bring those who endanger the lives of others in our communities to justice.”

Murphy must serve two-thirds of his sentence before being eligible for release on licence, but whenever he is released he will be subject to licence supervision for the extended period of three years.