A SERIAL arsonist who exacted revenge on a farming family he blamed for a jail term is back behind bars after being found guilty of burning down their barn.

Shaun Traves remained impassive as, after about four hours of deliberations, a jury of six men and six women at Teesside Crown Court returned their verdict that he had set light to the 50m by 25m building in Back Lane, Helperby, near Thirsk, destroying £100,000 of hay and farm vehicles.

His fiancee, Laura Bland, cried "no" and wept before leaving the courtroom as judge Recorder Simon Kealey ordered psychiatric and pre-sentence reports to find out how dangerous Traves is.

The court had heard the fire, which Traves started on September 4 last year, was so ferocious that six crews of firefighters were only just able to contain it.

A huge fuel tank nearby ruptured due to the heat, creating a "running fuel fire", sending a stream of diesel running through the village towards the River Swale, and an environmental catastrophe had only been averted due to the rapid actions of firefighters and villagers.

The five-day trial had heard the poultry farm manager, who works in Brafferton, less than a mile from the Spilman family's farm, had set fires which wrecked a front door in 2007 and another which destroyed a fence and a hedge the following year.

A jury had also previously found him guilty of wrecking an allotment shed and contents in 2005, and a Dutch barn in February 2008 and its contents at the mixed farm the Spilman family have run for 33 years.

Paul Newcombe, prosecuting, said Traves had held a long-term grudge against the Spilman family and felt humiliated after his advances for a reconciliation were rejected by Tom Spilman at the Golden Lion in Helperby.

The court was told pub-goers heard the 34-year-old, who had drunk 16 pints that day, threaten to beat up Mr Spilman and "burn him out", a short time before he was seen walking towards the barn and the fire erupting, which could be seen several miles away.

Mr Newcombe put it to Traves during cross-examination: "You are a dangerous man who likes to go around setting fires when it pleases you?" Traves, of Alne Road, Easingwold, replied: "No that's not true."

Traves, who denied arson, claimed he had learnt his lessons from previous convictions, and had been nowhere near the barn that night.

Recorder Kealey dismissed an application for bail by Traves' counsel, Lorraine Harris, and added the risk of Traves committing further offences was too great, before setting a sentencing date for August 12.