An arsonist was caught on CCTV setting fire to bins in a block of flats where he lived. The fire left residents "psychologically harmed" after the flats had been set on fire six times previously.
Mark Smirthwaite, 46, entered the basement of the Greenwood flats in Newport on April 23 but was seen leaving shortly later as smoke started billowing. The emergency services were called and managed to stop the fire before it took hold.
A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday was told Smithwaite was arrested after the CCTV was analysed. But he continued to deny arson with intent and was eventually found guilty following a trial.
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Sentencing the defendant Judge Jeremy Jenkins said: "You have shown no remorse at all.... We're all too aware of horrible scenes of how fire can spread – particularly in multi-occupancy buildings or flats. While the damage you caused was minimal had that fire taken hold and spread through the chimney area blocked off from other residents as a result of earlier attacks it could have caused quite easily very substantial damage and harm to life."
Prosecutor Byron Broadstock said the effect on the residents of the flat was psychological due to their previously being similar acts of arson by others in the recent past and described them as "extremely worried". He said there was little risk of physical harm to residents because of measures which had previously been put in place.
Defence barrister David Pinnell said his client maintained his innocence despite the verdict of the jury. As a result of this offence the court heard the defendant will not be returning to live at the flats.
Smirthwaite, of Beaufort Road, Newport, was sentenced to a total of three years imprisonment. He will serve half of the sentence in custody before being released on licence.
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