A MOTHER was told prison was inevitable after she admitted setting fire to her home while her two children were in it.

Yimale Skipp pleaded guilty to arson with intent to endanger life on the eve of a planned three day long trial.

The occupants of the property, in Coltman Street, North Ormesby, Middlesbrough, including Skipp’s two children, managed to escape without being harmed.

But the blaze, on the evening of January 25 this year, caused significant damage to the ground floor of the terraced house, while a first floor was also smoke damaged.

Skipp sobbed after being brought into the dock at Teesside Crown Court with the clerk having to ask her to repeat her ‘guilty’ plea as it could not properly be heard.

The court heard that fresh psychiatric reports on the 36-year-old were being prepared on behalf of both the prosecution and defence in order to ascertain her state of mind at the time.

Her barrister Graeme Gaston asked that the case be adjourned for eight weeks while the psychiatric reports and a pre-sentence report were completed. He made no application for bail for Skipp who was remanded back into custody.

Adjourning the case, Judge Howard Crowson told Skipp: “They [the reports] will be able to give the court certain information and help to decide the right sentence.

“Prison is inevitable in this case but it will help the judge to decide on the length of sentence on you.

“You will stay in custody for now. The Prison Service are aware of your situation and will give every care to you.”

Skipp will return to court to be sentenced on September 9 this year.

Firefighters from Cleveland Fire Brigade's Middlesbrough and Marine fire stations tackled the blaze, which started on the ground floor of the property.