A 30-YEAR-OLD man, depressed after splitting up with his girlfriend, decided to kill himself by setting fire to his mother’s home, causing £20,000 worth of damage, a court heard.

When Scott Bateson’s house-proud mum arrived back from work, she found the fire brigade there and Bateson, who had been drinking, said: “Mum, I’ve burnt your house.”

Bateson, of Clements Close, Atherton, had lit small fires in the kitchen and when these became a large blaze, he fled upstairs and escaped the burning premises when a neighbour put a ladder up to a window.

Jailing him for 20 months at Liverpool Crown Court, Judge Brian Lewis pointed out it was a mid-terraced house and the fire could easily have spread to the neighbouring homes.

He said he sympathised with Bateson’s difficulties “but the problem with arson is that fires are start- ed they are very difficult to control. No one is suggest- ing you considered that risk but you and the public must understand that is why arson is so serious.”

Harry Pepper, prosecut- ing, said Bateson had split up with his partner because he had been violent to her.

A restraining order had been made, which meant he could not see his children.

He turned to drink and moved into his mother’s home in Blake Avenue, Wigan.

On December 8 last year, he went to a neighbour’s home and asked if they would come to his funeral.

He then went back to the house intending to kill him- self and started the fires, said Mr Pepper.

Bateson pleaded guilty to arson and being in breach of suspended sentences for battery and harassment.

William Swalwell, defend- ing, said Bateson had been distressed after the break- up of his relationship and being unable to see his chil- dren.

He also lost his window cleaning round and he was essentially homeless. The day before the offence he drank a bottle of vodka and on the day consumed seven cans of lager.