Man set fire to his home in bid to be rehoused

8.45pm and this time stole £14 worth of pizzas from the refrigerator cabinet. A security officer shouted to him outside to stop but McGowan again produced the “adapted sock” saying “come any closer and I’ll hit you.”

Mr Ahmed said the security officer continued to follow McGowan around the university campus. Eventually the homemade weapon was discarded in a bush and police arrested McGowan.

Sohail Khan, representing McGowan, said he was of good character until he was 31 when he developed paranoia and anxiety arising from his drug abuse.

All his offences then arose through his confused state relating to that amphetamine misuse and in the case of the arson he acted out of frustration.

McGowan, 32 of Buckden Court, Chesil Bank, Quarmby, was found guilty by a jury of arson reckless whether life was endangered and admitted theft, having an offensive weapon and threatening a person with an offensive weapon.

Jailing him for a total of four and a half years, Judge Mustaq Khokhar said he accepted McGowan had mental health issues caused by his drug addiction and through paranoia believed people were after him at his flat.

But when he deliberately set fire to it seeking to be rehoused he had put others in danger which was a serious offence.