A MAN has admitted causing more than £21,000 worth of damage to a council property by deliberately starting two fires inside.

Leslie David Gray set fire to a home belonging Winchester City Council in St Martin's Close, Winnall, on December 30 2019.

Five fire crews were called to the incident which left the end of terrace property seriously damaged.

Today the 36-year-old appeared at Winchester Crown Court and pleaded guilty to arson. He caused £21,509.19 of damage.

In mitigation, Richard Martin said: “He accepts the prosecution’s case against him. Because of his drink and drug intake he has no recollection of the events.”

Mr Martin told the court that Gray was suffering from depression at the time of the fire, and it occurred at the end of his tenancy.

He also said that there was no indication Gray was planning to take his own life in the incident.

Mr Martin added: “He doesn’t remember starting these two fires but he goes upstairs because he comes out of the top window.”

The alarm had been raised by someone seeing smoke and flames coming from the house.

All persons inside the property managed to get out but firefighters found a deceased cat inside the building.

Following the hearing Gray was released on conditional bail to reside at Earle House in Winnall Manor Road and cooperate with psychiatric and probation services.

The Recorder of Winchester Judge Angela Morris adjourned sentencing to July 12 for reports to be prepared.

Speaking to Gray, she said: “We are not going to deal with you today for sentence, there are a number of reports that are going to be prepared before that happens.

“It is in your best interest to attend both for the psychiatric report and the pre-sentence report to be prepared.”

The judge added: “The fact that I am granting bail is no indication of what the likely sentence will be.”