A MAN rejected by his partner tried to “make her sorry” by setting light to wheelie bins placed against doors at her home, a court heard.

Ian Craig’s partner ended their relationship last October, but by December he was regularly sending her massages, which she ignored.

Durham Crown Court was told Craig, 25, who was living at a hostel in Shildon, was seen heavily inebriated wandering the town’s streets, early on December 27.

He told a care worker he was going to set fire to bins at his ex-partner’s home, but was not believed.

By 6.02am he sent a message to his former partner stating: “Answer me.”

Shaun Dryden, prosecuting, told the court: “By then he had set fire to two bins at her house.”

Mr Dryden said both his “ex” and her father, who lived in the mid-terraced home, were unaware there had been a problem.

Police notified them what had happened and her father found a fire damaged bin pushed against the back door, while another smoke-affected bin was found outside the front door.

Although fire had taken hold, particularly in the rear bin, it did not spread.

When police went to arrest him at the hostel in Redworth Road he pushed a female officer and tried to flee before being detained.

Craig told police he had rung the fire service to report what he had done after his former partner failed to respond to his message.

He said he wanted to make her “sorry” for the “horrible things” she did to him during their relationship.

Craig admitted reckless arson, harassment and assaulting an emergency worker.

Stephen Hamill, mitigating, said he has taken steps to address his heavy alcohol use while in custody.

But Judge Jonathan Carroll said that was “easy” within the confines of prison.

Jailing him for three years and four weeks he also made Craig subject of a ten-year restraining order prohibiting contact with his former partner