Arsonist Mark Durham has been given a chance to stay out of trouble after he started a blaze at a school.

The 22-year-old, of Peregrine Road, Blackbird Leys, Oxford, set fire to papers in offices at Peers School, Littlemore, Oxford, when he was drunk on February 6 this year.

The blaze caused £17,000 of damage to the building. Durham, a former pupil at the school, was arrested shortly after.

He appeared at Oxford Crown Court, where Judge Harold Wilson deferred sentence on him, telling him to return in six months and stay on the straight and narrow until then.

Basil Hillman, prosecuting, said Durham had been drinking rum and "substantial amounts of lager". He broke into the school by smashing a front window with a brick and then started the blaze.

When police arrested him they found a lighter in his pocket and he had cuts on his hands. Forensic tests revealed his blood on the brick and small shards of glass in his clothing.

Nigel Daly, defending, said at the time of the offence Durham was drinking heavily and using heroin.

But he said Durham now had a steady job and no longer drank or used drugs.

Judge Wilson told Durham: "When you and I last faced each other and when I came to court today I thought there was no alternative but to send you away for two years, and that was a lenient sentence.

"If you really have sorted yourself out, broken the drug addiction, controlled the drink for good and got a job you are going to keep, it is not only in your interest to leave you to make further progress but it is in the community's interest too.

"We will meet again in due course and I look forward to good news in your case."

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