Student Mohammed Saidykhan started a fire in his room before leaving with a knife. The 21-year-erstwhile 'played with burn' by using a lighter to set debark pieces of paper as he was unable to pay his rent.

He left a notation on the door which read, 'I am distressing' and walked to Rock and Stafford. A pocketknife was constitute in his pocket after his arrest.

The fire caused more than £thirteen,000 harm to the student accommodation in Loma Street, Stoke, and other students were evacuated. Just no-one was injured. Now Saidykhan has been sentenced to two years in custody, suspended for 2 years, at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Courtroom.

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Prosecutor Antony Longworth said the defendant was living in student adaptation in Hill Street, Stoke, and on January 11 last yr he gear up fire to the mattress. Mr Longworth said: "The burn alarms went off. It was believed he may nonetheless exist in his room. The manager attempted to get in. He was unable to. Another resident was evacuated.

"CCTV showed he had been in the flat and left the building. He could not be contacted past telephone and his parents were contacted.

The defendant set fire to his room

Burn down crews attended an incident at the Host in Colina Street, Stoke

"He returned to the property on January 12. The police were called and he was arrested. He was taken into custody. A pocketknife was establish in his possession."

Mr Longworth said the defendant was unable to pay his rent. "He became unwell and may have been gambling excessively," he added.

The defendant told constabulary he tried to use the knife to cut himself. He found a lighter and began to light pieces of paper while on the bed. He claimed he thought they had all been extinguished. He lit A4 paper and napkins and moved the duvet out the way. He had gone for a walk and walked to Rock and Stafford.

The impairment cost £13,620.71 to repair.

The defendant set fire to his room

The scene in Hill Street, Stoke

Saidykhan, of Kendal Drive, Leeds, pleaded guilty to arson existence reckless as to whether life was endangered and possession of a knife in public.

Paul Cliff, mitigating, said the defendant believed he was beingness ejected from his course.

"When he lost his place there was a great deal of shame on his part," said Mr Cliff. "On Jan xi and 12 terminal twelvemonth in that location was a serious consideration by him well-nigh the possibility of ending his life."

He added the accused did not use an accelerant but conceded the value of the harm was 'non insignificant'.

Mr Cliff said the defendant at present has a good job and is highly unlikely to be earlier the courts again. He urged Judge Graeme Smith to suspend the sentence.

Fire crews put out a blaze in Hill Street, Stoke

The accused set fire to his room at student adaptation in Hill Street, Stoke

As part of the suspended sentence Saidykhan must consummate a rehabilitation activity requirement for 25 days and 160 hours unpaid work.

Gauge Smith said: "What happened on January xi last twelvemonth was wholly out of character. It is clear y'all have had a expert upbringing and take a supportive family. But when difficulties arose because of your feelings of shame y'all were non able to deal with them in a mature mode. You ended up suffering from a depressive episode, self-harming and playing with burn down.

"I accept in that location was no intention to cause any impairment or any risk only y'all were reckless in the way yous were setting fire to pieces of paper. That led to the burn which acquired significant damage. Fortunately it did non cause any damage to anyone but clearly there was a take a chance that information technology might accept washed then.

"In your distressed state you were walking on the street not realising you had a knife with you."

The judge ordered the destruction of the knife.

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Crude sleeper jailed after he was caught with knife

Boy, iv, left looking like this later on savaged by neighbour'southward dog