A MAN who started a fire inside his home, endangering those of his neighbours, has been sent to a mental health facility.

Firefighters were called to Steven Bailey's house last summer after neighbours reported smelling smoke coming from his home.

They found a fire burning inside the front porch area of Bailey's mid-terraced house in Aeron Place, Gilfach, near Bargoed.

Jeffrey Jones, prosecuting, told a Cardiff Crown Court hearing that firefighters described the incident as "not serious, but there was evidence of the deliberate setting of the fire".

He told the court that firefighters found "evidence of similar fires in the lounge" area of Bailey's home.

If the fire had not been extinguished, firefighters believed the porch blaze could have caused damage to Bailey's neighbours' homes, Mr Jones said.

He added that Bailey, 42, had been described as "behaving irrationally" and "clearly unwell" at the time of the fire.

READ MORE:

Hilary Roberts, defending, said Bailey had "experienced psychotic episodes in his life".

He called on Dr Neetha Byrappa - a psychiatrist who specialises in the treatment of mental disorders - to give an assessment of Bailey.

Dr Byrappa said colleagues had "voiced significant concerns about managing [Bailey] in the community".

Bailey at times would not comply or engage with the mental health team and had been in an "extremely chaotic state", she said, adding that there was evidence of fires being started "12 to 18 months prior to the offence".

Dr Byrappa told the court Bailey had shown some improvement during treatment in the months following the fire, but she said the defendant was at the "initial stages of assessment and treatment".

She added: "What we're looking at is not just to get him well, but to keep him well in the community."

Mr Roberts said Bailey had been described in reports as "a pleasant man who does have now a considerable understanding of his situation".

Bailey earlier pleaded guilty to a charge of arson, following the incident that happened on July 28 last year.

Judge David Wynn Morgan made an order under the Mental Health Act for Bailey to be detained in hospital for medical treatment.

He told Bailey: "The court hopes very much that you will reciprocate the help of the doctors."