Jailed: 'Chronic' alcoholic gets three years for arson at Wolverhampton hostel

Kenneth Hunnisett torched a mattress and clothing in the room of a resident at the Solace Community Centre Tettenhall – and then left the premises, the city's crown court heard yesterday.

A wall of choking smoke quickly built up in the room and billowed out into other parts of the Tettenhall Road building when the door was opened by people searching for the seat of the blaze after the fire alarm sounded around 6.30pm on September 8, said Miss Elizabeth Power, prosecuting.

Michael Cox, another resident of the hostel, was worried in case anybody was trapped and made a courageous bid to search the room but was beaten back.

Miss Power explained: "He bravely entered despite the room being filled with thick black smoke and was overcome."

Mr Cox, who was treated at the scene after staggering away from the fire, later told police: "I felt like I was drowning in there."

Three fire crews rushed to the scene to put out the blaze which caused around £2,000 damage and cost a further £5,000 in lost revenue while the place was repaired. Experts said the fire had been deliberately started with a naked flame.

The manager checked its CCTV system and recognised the culprit, who wore a distinctive red hat and long black coat, as a resident of the Solace's satellite hostel in nearby Larches Lane and father-of-five Hunnisett, aged 50, was arrested by police when seen standing in the street with a can of strong lager later the same evening.

Mr Michael Anning, defending, said: "He had been drinking from 8.30 that morning and has little memory of the arson. Even a viewing of the CCTV did not remove the fog from his memory. He has a chronic alcohol problem and had spent the afternoon drinking cider and lager with friends in the room opposite that in which the fire started. The man who lived there had known to the defendant for some time. There had been no falling out between them."

Hunnisett was given three years for arson while reckless as to whether life was endangered and another year for a seaparate charge of affray. He admitted both charges.

Judge John Wait said: "Starting any fire in a place where people are living creates the risk of terrible damage and loss of life in those circumstances is common but I bear in mind there were others around and the fire was likely to be found and put out quite quickly – as it was."