A man who set fire to his bedroom before handing himself in told police "I've done something stupid".
Lee Bramley admitted starting the fire at a house in Chesterfield Road, Mansfield, that he was sharing with six people.
After lighting the fire, Bramley then locked his bedroom door and left the shared accommodation.
He went straight to Mansfield Police Station just 22 minutes later and admitted to the arson – telling officers: “I’ve done something stupid."
Firefighters were called out to the supported housing building after being made aware by other residents of the blaze on July 25 last year, which didn’t result in any injuries but did cause around £700 of damage.
Bramley, 51, was charged with arson with recklessness and appeared before Nottingham Crown Court on Wednesday, February 2, where he was sentenced to two years and eight months in jail.
Detective Sergeant Matthew Dumbrell, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Thankfully, nobody was injured and the fire was quickly put out after residents spotted it and alerted the fire service immediately.
“It really does go without saying but arson is a very serious and inexcusable offence that is both incredibly dangerous and can lead to devastating consequences for anyone who is unlucky enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
“Bramley showed little regard for the safety of others by deliberately starting this fire in his shared accommodation, which could have easily also spread to other neighbouring properties and put more lives in danger.
“We are pleased to see that he has been punished for his actions and hope that his sentence will send a strong message out to others that arson is treated seriously.”
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