Drug-crazed arsonist feared alien attack

7:00am Saturday 19th January 2008

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By Jon Reeve »

A MAN who tried to burn down his mother's Hampshire home while high on drugs has avoided an immediate jail sentence.

Justin Fryer, 36, said he started the blaze because he believed the kitchen appliances were aliens that were trying to attack him.

He closed all the windows in the house, disabled the smoke alarms and unplugged the phone before setting fire to the cooker, fridge and microwave.

He even sprayed a cleaning aerosol at the gas cooker in an attempt to speed up the blaze, on September 4 last year.

Fryer, who was high on amphetamines, then fled the empty semi-detached house in Norman Close, Portchester, where he lived with his mum and sister.

Thick smoke had already killed the family's two pet birds on their perches in the lounge. The blaze caused £8,000 worth of damage.

Fryer was later caught by police as he looked for a priest at the church in the grounds of Portchester Castle. At Portsmouth Crown Court yesterday, he was sentenced after admitting causing arson and recklessly endangering the life of his elderly neighbour.

Fryer, who has previously served three years for wounding with intent and has two convictions for causing actual bodily harm, had already spent 134 days in custody, but was spared a further jail term.

Fryer was sentenced to 12 months behind bars, suspended for two years.

He also has to comply with a two years supervision order and an 18-month programme requirement.

Judge Graham White also imposed a strict drug rehabilitation order banning him from taking amphetamines for two years, which will be regularly tested.

"If you break any of the requirements you will be straight back before me and your feet will not touch the ground before going inside," said Judge White.