This is the damage a drunken Sunderland man caused when he set fire to his home

Zahid Hussain, 50, caused around £15,000 of damage to his wife's possessions when he maliciously set their house on Cleveland Road, in Sunderland, alight.

The blaze tore through all three bedrooms, the hallway and a room at the rear on March 11 before it was extinguished by fire fighters.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how that morning Zahid had "unburdened himself of his marital problems" to a neighbour before giving her and her partner a guided tour of the two-storey house.

He was then heard saying "something's going to happen and if it does it's not going to be my fault".

That afternoon, another neighbour, was looking out of his living room window when he saw a large amount of smoke filling the street.

Prosecuting, Barry Robson, said: "As he went through the gate towards the front step he saw the defendant standing in the passageway.

"As [the neighbour] looked into the house he was able to see large flames coming from the top of the stairs.

"The defendant was standing in the house holding what [the neighbour] believed to be a window frame. [The neighbour] describes the defendant as appearing to be completely oblivious to the large fire around him.

"On request the defendant put down the window frame which was red hot to the touch.

"[The neighbour] shouted towards the defendant 'You have done this'. No reply was made. [The neighbour] believed the defendant to be very intoxicated."

Hussain staggered to a wall opposite his burning home, where he sat down and was comforted by neighbours before he was arrested, asking an officer: "What have I done?"

The court was told that just the day before there had been another fire at the property - but on that occasion the authorities had been satisfied Hussain, had fallen asleep when the kitchen caught light.

Hussain admitted arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered and was in breach of a suspended sentence for common assault on his wife, imposed just eight days before the blaze.

He was jailed for a total of 38 months by Judge Christopher Prince, who said alcohol was at the root of his criminality.

Judge Prince told him: "Lots of people are alcoholics and don't commit offences, let alone offences of arson.

"The fact you were intoxicated doesn't excuse your behaviour whatsoever, quite the opposite, it's an aggravating factor."

Nick Peacock, defending said: "He was previously a successful businessman who owned a chain of newsagents but he had to sell the business at a loss and that's when his alcoholism started.

"Alcohol consumption is the key to this.

"When someone like him is drunk, there are going to be issues. If he can stop drinking he will not offend, it's as simple as that."

Mr Peacock added that Hussain's wife was supportive of him and had "not completely pulled the rug from under him".

He said: "She says she wants him back, he is a good father but he has to stop drinking."

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