TWO alcoholics who began a series of fires at a property in a Christmas Eve revenge attack have both been jailed.

Matthew Robert McLaren and Emma Sample were involved in three incidents during the same night at the home of McLaren’s former partner in St John’s Crescent, Darlington.

Each time wheelie bins were set alight and pushed against a fence, causing a shed to burn down.

McLaren, who reported the incidents to the fire service, had been in a relationship with the occupier but it ended and he had previously been warned about harassing her.

Jenny Haigh, prosecuting, told Teesside Crown Court that police arrested both defendants at the scene. While being taken to the police station, McLaren was seen trying to pass a lighter to Sample.

Both admitted arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered in the early hours of Christmas Eve last year.

McLaren, 24, of St John’s Crescent, has 60 convictions for 95 criminal offences to his name, the court heard, including assault, damaging property, possessing offensive weapons and public order offences.

Rebecca Brown, for McLaren, said: “He got very drunk, too drunk and did something extremely foolish.”

She said McLaren suffered from a personality disorder due to a turbulent childhood and said he had been born a female, though he identified himself as male.

“He is eligible for the [gender] re-assignment process, but he cannot do so until he gets himself emotionally stable and addresses his alcohol issues.”

Sample, 26, of Freemans Place, Darlington, who also had history with the victim, expressed remorse and was said to realise things had gone too far on the night in question.

She was said to be in a “cycle of alcohol dependency”.

The Recorder of Middlesbrough, Judge Simon Bourne-Arton said both were alcoholics who had led troubled lives.

But he said they had been responsible for a “determined” attack in order to get revenge on the victim and had placed people in danger.

McLaren was jailed for three years, four months and Sample three years.