A man confessed to arson in Bolton because he could not live with what he had done.

Wesley France broke into a flat on Haydock Street on December 5 last year.

Bolton Crown Court heard the property was occupied by a wheelchair user who felt unsafe being there after an earlier break in damaged the window.

But when France broke in he had initially planned to sleep there as he was homeless.

He then lit a piece of paper on fire and the blaze spread to a sofa and chair and then got out of control.

France then left the property and did not call the emergency services.

An occupant of another flat in the block spotted the fire and called 999.

Three fire engines were sent at 12.35am and brought the blaze, which did not spread beyond the flat where it started, under control.

The cost of the damage was given as £56,000.

Denise Fitzpatrick, prosecuting, said France confessed to the crime.

She said: “On October 3, 2022, Wesley France then confessed to his probation officer that he has caused the fire on Haydock Street.

“He told the probation officer he could not live with himself knowing he had done that and someone could have been hurt.

“He did not know why he had done it, he entered through the rear window, he had set fire to the settee, he did not know why he had done it.”

At the time France was serving fourteen days in prison for breach of post-custody supervision for another offence and was arrested inside prison.

The 33-year-old, of no fixed abode, appeared in court to be sentenced after admitting arson which was reckless as to whether life was endangered.

Rosalind Bergin, defending, said: “He has expressed remorse, that is why he confessed to someone, a probation officer.”

She said he had “persecutory beliefs” at the time but had done work on this inside prison in the seven months since his arrest.

She said he suffered acute psychosis and delusional disorder.

Recorder Alexandra Simmons said: “The fire was out of control, you escaped back through the window.

“You did not alert the fire brigade or the neighbours.”

She said he “lacked insight” into his mental health problems and drug abuse and said “without inside it is difficult to treat or manage you.”

She imposed a sentence of three years but ruled that French was dangerous, meaning he must apply for parole two-thirds of the way through the sentence.

Once released he will have to serve an extra two years on licence, meaning any reoffending maty result in a return to prison.