A DRUNKEN teenager who set fire to a £32,000 taxi walked free from court yesterday.

Mark Reineck, 17, targeted the taxi, along with a Renault, which were parked at Planes Farm Road, Planes Farm, Sunderland, on October 6 last year.

Newcastle Crown Court was told how the taxi was totally destroyed, leaving the owner unable to work and with a large insurance excess to pay.

Mark Guiliani, prosecuting, said Reineck had had a previous confrontation with the owner of the Renault.

Reineck, of Simonside Road, Springwell, Washington, pleaded guilty to two charges of arson.

Tim Parkin, defending, said Reineck, who already has previous convictions for dishonesty, affray and drugs, was starting to learn his lesson and deserved a last chance.

Judge Lancaster sentenced him to an intensive supervision order for 12 months.

The judge told him: "There is nothing mentally wrong with you that should cause alarm in the sense of whether or not you are likely to cause other fires elsewhere.

"This offence was borne out of your intoxicated state which came about because you had too much to drink and mixed it with drugs."