A former Army tank driver has been sentenced to life in prison for setting fire to a hospital ward.

Ninety patients had to be evacuated from the medical admissions ward at York District Hospital after Stephan Yeoman started the blaze.

Yeoman, 57, set a nursing trolley alight while being treated at the hospital for alcohol-related illnesses in September last year.

After starting the fire, he stabbed a nurse in the back with a bladed instrument causing minor injuries, before fleeing the ward. A nine-week-old baby and an 80-year-old woman were among the patients who had to be evacuated, York Crown Court was told.

No one was injured in the blaze, but the ward was smoke-damaged and the cost ran into tens of thousands of pounds, the court heard.

Yeoman, of Bramham Road, Chapelfields, York, pleaded guilty to arson, being reckless whether life would be endangered and assault occasioning actually bodily harm.

Simon Kealey, prosecuting, said: ''Just before 4am, staff nurse Nichola Burdett checked on the ward and noticed an orange glow where the defendant was from. She saw a trolley on fire and flames about a foot high.

''She immediately called for help and felt a thump to her back causing her to stagger forward.''

The court was told Yeoman was later apprehended by a security guard at the hospital, but had little or no recollection of the incident. A cigarette lighter was found in his possession.

In mitigation, Alex Semple said Yeoman made a success of his early life, rising to the rank of corporal in the Royal Army Corps.

Mr Semple said his client's civilian life was dogged by alcohol abuse and a spate of convictions followed including robbery, indecent assault, criminal damage and public order offences.

Prior to the arson attack, his mother died and he lost his job and house.

''When faced with problems in life he turned to the crutch of alcohol,'' said Mr Semple.

The Recorder of York, Judge Paul Hoffman, said Yeoman posed a significant risk to the public and he had no option but to impose an indeterminate prison sentence.

He said Yeoman would have to serve at least three years and 11 months before being eligible for parole.