A TEENAGE girl who set fire to a house in Lymm while the occupant was upstairs in the bath has avoided a jail sentence.

The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, started fires in the living room and kitchen of a terraced home in August.

On Tuesday, March 21, the girl was spared a jail sentence of up to three years by a judge.

Chester Crown Court heard that the occupant had got into the bath at their home at around 1pm on Tuesday, August 30.

Around five minutes later, she began to smell smoke and went downstairs to discover fires in the living room and kitchen of the property.

The defendant, who was aged 16 at the time of the offence, had set two scarves on fire above a mirror in the lounge and by the back door, with the house ‘thick with smoke’.

With flames reaching roughly halfway up the back door, the woman went to a neighbour’s house to call Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service who dispatched two engines to the scene.

The court heard that the fire in the kitchen led to significant damage, with a repair bill for the housing association that owns the property running into thousands of pounds – his honour judge Patrick Thompson described the room as being ‘completely gutted’.

Defence barrister Philip Tully said that his client, who had has no previous convictions, had acted ‘completely out of character’ and that the offence was not premeditated.

He added that the defendant has behavioural and emotional problems having had a ‘difficult upbringing’, but was a low risk of reoffending and is hoping to begin attending college shortly.

Mr Tully said: “This is a young girl with a troubled past and she is sorry for what she has done.”

Judge Thompson ordered that the teenager be subject to a youth rehabilitation order for a period of three years and serve a curfew of 7pm to 7am for three months after she admitted one charge of arson being reckless as to whether endangering life.

She will also be required to complete an extended activity requirement of 180 days and pay a victim surcharge of £15.

Sentencing, judge Thompson said: “You put your victim’s life in great danger and as the property was a terraced house you also put the lives of anyone living in the vicinity of that address in danger.

“This was dreadfully dangerous and it is a dreadfully serious offence.

“You still do not realise the seriousness of what you did – almost everyone who commits this offence goes into custody for many years.

“Your attitude doesn’t seem right but you are 17 years of age and I’m going to give you a chance.

“I’m giving you the opportunity to turn your life around and I hope that you will take it – if you don’t then your future will look very bleak.

“I hope that you go to college and work hard, and that this will be a crossroads in your life – it’s a chance to make a success of your life.”