A MAN who breached a restraining order imposed for starting fires outside his neighbour’s property has been spared prison.

Nathan Lee Dodsworth Grant, of no fixed abode, breached the order on January 20, two days after magistrates handed him a conditional discharge for breaching the same order. Grant, 27, pleaded guilty to the offence at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

Joanne Hesse, prosecuting, explained Grant had received the order in August 2016, when he was jailed for 16 months for arson.

Grant, who was living with his parents in Shotton Colliery at the time, had been the subject of numerous complaints to police by his neighbour for incidents of anti-social behaviour. This led to a harassment order being issued in March of that year.

The victim installed CCTV which captured Grant staggering around during the night, placing lit objects on the man’s van and inside his dog kennel and bin.

In an impact statement read out yesterday, the victim said the breaches had made him feel “extremely anxious,” adding: “The fire brigade has given me training on how to get out the house should it be set on fire. No-one should be expected to live like this.”

Ciara Smith, mitigating, said her client, who is banned from entering Shotton Colliery, had gone to pick up belonging from his parents’ house, having being released from remand prison for charges he had denied and were eventually dropped.

She said he had a problem with alcohol and was drunk at the time, and made no attempt to contact the victim.

Grant received a 12-month community order with 14 rehabilitation activity days. He was warned a further breach would most likely result in a prison sentence.