AN arsonist will be assessed to see if he is dangerous after setting fire to his own flat so he could go back to prison.

Edward Corbyn, 37, had already admitted arson after setting a fire in the shower cubicle of his flat in Worcester Road, Malvern. He appeared at Worcester Crown Court on Friday following the fire on October 18 last year.

Abigail Nixon, prosecuting, said one of Corbyn's neighbours in the block was relaxing when he heard the fire alarm and smoke alarms but did not panic because every day for the previous week or two the emergency services had attended Corbyn's flat. The seat of the fire was a burning hand towel in the shower cubicle. Only a small amount of damage was caused although experts did not rule out the possibility of the fire spreading. Corbyn was found in a nearby graveyard and arrested. He said: "I know what I've done. I've committed arson. I set fire to my flat. I did it so I could go back to prison."

Corbyn told officers he was very drunk after a cocktail of spirits, wine and cider very early that morning. Corbyn had two relevant previous convictions including an arson from May 15, 2017 which resulted in a 20 month prison sentence. That arson happened in a block of flats with a single exit. In May 2019 he set fire to an advertising banner outside Pizza Hut in Worcester and used a shopping trolley to damage the side door.

Corbyn was found collapsed in New Street, Worcester, on September 4 last year and was hospitalised due to the amount of alcohol he had drunk. On October 14 he phoned police threatening suicide and police had to use force to enter his flat. Adjourning the case till February 28, Judge Nicolas Cartwright said: "Given that the doctor does not specifically address the issue of further, similar offences and was ignorant of the most recent arson offence, it seems to me that an addendum psychiatric report really ought to be obtained before I embark on an assessment of dangerousness."

Corbyn was remanded in custody.