An arsonist ‘did not think’ about his neighbours who he believed were ‘out to get him’ when he set fire to his own home.

Kaden Oomer, 39, torched his Holmes Street flat on Sunday, March 6 this year in a bid to take his own life.

He had to be rescued by firefighters and admitted afterwards that he had not given a thought to the safety of his neighbours, Bolton Crown Court heard.

Alison Mather, prosecuting, said: “He told officers that he didn’t care if the fire affected anyone else and that his neighbours were out to get him.

She added: “He then said ‘I don’t mean that I don’t care about the neighbours I mean that I wasn’t thinking about them, stupid isn’t it?’”

Ms Mather told the court how firefighters were rushed to the Bolton at Home property after smoke was seen coming from a rear window at around 9.45am.

Oomer, who has seven previous convictions for 12 offences, lived in a top-floor flat with neighbours both below and at either side of him.

He had set fires at four different places around the flat using a lighter and tins of paint.

A firefighter tried to help the defendant out through the window but he became affected by the smoke and Oomer refused to leave.

Fire crews eventually managed to force entry, get Oomer to safety and extinguish the blaze, but the property was rendered uninhabitable with around £7,000 worth of damage caused.

A lighter was found near the building which Oomer appeared to have thrown out of the window, while another two lighters were found on the defendant himself.

After being treated for smoke inhalation at Royal Bolton Hospital, Oomer was arrested on suspicion of arson. He pleaded guilty on August 26.

Neil Ronan, defending, drew upon his experience as an ex-fire investigation forensic scientist to point out that paint is not an accelerant.

He also pointed out Oomer was entitled to credit for having pleaded guilty.

Mr Ronan explained his client had suffered from mental health and drug problems throughout his life but was working hard to address his issues.

He said: “The man who presents today, having been put on the medication he should have been on, is much more placid, much more coherent and much more functional.”

Mr Ronan added: “He simply wants to continue taking his medication, find a place to live and put his life back together.

Mr Ronan said he was concerned that Oomer would not get the chance to do this in prison.

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Judge Tom Gilbart accepted the defendant’s actions had partly been brought about by his ‘sad personal circumstances’ but felt that he still posed a danger to the public.

He said that the fire caused significant damage and could have been extremely dangerous to the other people living nearby as well as the firefighters called out on the rescue mission.

Judge Gilbart sentenced Oomer to a total of four years in prison.