A MAN who was annoyed when his friend would not answer his door, set fire to a lottery pamphlet and pushed it through his letter box.

Bolton Crown Court heard how Brett Clarkson was at home in his fourth floor flat at Blackshaw House, Bolton, on February 14 when his pal, Jayjay Bibby called on him.

Nicholas Flanagan, prosecuting, told how the two men have been friends for many years, but when Mr Clarkson realised it was Bibby knocking on his door he went into his living room and tried to pretend he was not there.

Bibby kept knocking on the door and shouting for around 15 minutes, demanding Mr Clarkson let him in.

Then Mr Clarkson heard Bibby say, “There you go.”

A lit National Lottery pamphlet was ignited and pushed through the letter box, landing on the floor. Fortunately, almost immediately it went out, leaving damage, estimated at £100, to the carpet.

Bibby, was arrested by police the next day in Deane.

“He accepted being at the property and knocking on the door but denied arson,” said Mr Flanagan.

However, after his fingerprints were found on the remains of the leaflet, Bibby, aged 32, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered.

“He felt aggravated that his friend was ignoring him,” said Mr Flanagan.

“He expected [the fire] would have been extinguished straight away.”

Mr Flanagan added that, in a statement, Mr Clarkson said the incident had scared him and he is not nervous.

Andrew Costello, defending, said; “It has to be conceded, on the defendant’s behalf, that if you put a lit piece of paper through a letter box you cannot assume it will go out.”

He added that, due to ill health caused by years of drug abuse, Bibby is now in a wheelchair and will find a prison sentence particularly difficult.

But Judge Graeme Smith sentenced Bibby, who appeared in court via a video link from Manchester Prison, to two and a half years in prison.

“What you unfortunately did, in a moment of madness, is something that could have had very serious implications indeed,” said Judge Smith.

He added that Bibby had put other residents in the block of flats in danger.

“You completely lost control of the situation,” he said.

“Had it [the burning leaflet] not extinguished itself there was a very serious risk to Mr Clarkson and of it spreading to other properties. This was only one piece of paper but the risk was considerable.”