A NUISANCE neighbour who tormented the man living next door for a year was jailed for 16 months for starting small fires outside his property at night.

Nathan Lee Grant was the subject of complaints to police by his neighbour for incidents of anti-social behaviour, which led to a harassment order being issued in March.

Durham Crown Court heard that as a result of the difficulties the neighbour mounted a cctv camera outside his home, in Shotton Colliery.

Penny Bottomley, prosecuting, said he came across a partially burned paperback book in the dog kennel in his garden on the morning of May 21.

He also found a burned wallet on the windscreen of his van, parked outside the property, in Grange Terrace.

Examination of cctv footage from the camera revealed Grant staggering around at various times in the early hours of the morning, carrying lit objects and placing them on the van and kennel, while another two were placed in a waste bin.

In a victim statement read to the court, the neighbour said Grant had been causing him problems for a year, from not long after he went to live with his parents.

The victim said he felt traumatised by his “antics”, but could not understand it because he got on well with his parents.

Twenty-six-year-old Grant admitted arson.

Martin Scarborough, mitigating, said the defendant could not recall the incident due to his high level of intoxication, but he has since taken steps to try to address his, “alcohol issues”.

Jailing him, Judge Christopher Prince also made Grant subject of a restraining order forbidding him from trying to contact his former neighbour, or from going within half-a-mile of Grange Terrace.