A MAN caused £26,000 worth of fire damage at the block of flats where he lived after “losing it” following an argument with his girlfriend.

Adam Wakeling started a blaze by setting cardboard alight in a bin storage area attached to the properties in Chepstow.

The fire quickly spread to other pieces of rubbish and was soon “out of control” at the flats owned by housing association Melin Homes.

Nigel Fryer, prosecuting, told Cardiff Crown Court: “People had to be evacuated.

South Wales Argus:

A firefighter at the scene. Picture: CPS Wales

“Mercifully there was no injury, just the damage that was caused.”

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Wakeling caught himself out when he was overheard by a neighbour saying to his then partner: “I done it.”

The defendant had initially claimed to the police that the blaze was all a bizarre accident.

“He said that he'd been in the bin store area and a lighter had fallen out of his pocket and it must have caused a spark that inadvertently started the fire,” Mr Fryer added.

Wakeling, 28, of Moor Street, Chepstow pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage by fire.

It happened on the night of Friday, July 30, 2021.

The defendant has two previous convictions for three offences which includes one for public disorder.

The court heard that Wakeling has learning difficulties and suffers from muscular dystrophy.

Thomas Stanway, mitigating, said: “The matter arose following an argument with his former partner.

“He was unable to appropriately manage his emotions.

“The defendant took the misguided or particularly foolish decision to set a piece of cardboard alight at that stage not fully, plainly, appreciating the amount of combustible material within the bin store.”

Judge Hywel James told Wakeling: “A communal bin storage area was entirely destroyed as a result of the fire and the estimated cost to repair that was some £26,600.

“The offence arose because of disagreement you’d had with your then girlfriend.

“In your words you'd lost it and the fire was caused by you igniting cardboard which then caused the bin area to catch fire.

“That would have been frightening for those who lived nearby.

“It also put fire officers at risk in having to deal with that fire.

“There's no evidence that an accelerant or inflammable liquid was used.”

Judge James said he was prepared to spare the defendant from going straight to prison because there was a prospect of rehabilitation.

Wakeling was jailed for 12 months but that sentence was suspended for 18 months.

He must complete a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement.