Man set fire to his socks in police van

The crew pulled onto a car park and when they opened the rear doors they noticed the flames.

Gale Gilchrist, prosecuting, told Teesside Crown Court that prisoner Sam Smith had been arrested for burglary for the second time in a week, and at the same address in Thornaby.

The 20-year-old had been “off his face” when a policeofficer detained him for raiding a store cupboard. Smith spat at her and he struggled violently before reinforcements arrived to put him into the van.

A week earlier he had broken into the same cupboard and stolen a generator worth £200. He was found lying next to it after falling over with a cut to the bridge of his nose.

The officers were met with flames when they faced the fire, which caused about £100 damage by scorching the floor, said Miss Gilchrist.

The incident happened on the A19.

Duncan McReddie, mitigating, said that Smith had been misusing drink and drugs, and it was clear, in the language of the streets, that he was “off his face”.

He said that Smith had been in custody for two months awaiting sentence, and he had a clear insight into his behaviour.

Mr McReddie told the judge: “This setting fire to the socks gives you an insight into the state he was in.

“He understands that he has done wrong and he is properly remorseful, but when he is in that state he has no concept of what he is doing.”

Judge Howard Crowson told him: “When you were arrested you behaved in a quite unpleasant way towards the police. You spat at a policewoman, there was difficulty in restraining you and they had to ask for help.

“Then, having been placed in a police van, you set fire to it. Perhaps the greatest risk to anybody was to yourself.”

Smith of Shaftesbury Street, Stockton, was jailed for 16 months.

He pleaded guilty to stealing two bottles of alcohol on July 16 from a shop in Hornbeck Way, Thornaby, two burglaries on July 19 and 26 in Vulcan Way, Thornaby, and common assault and criminal damage by fire on July 26.