A LATVIAN national living in Bradford has been sentenced to eight months in prison for arson.

Klaus Abeele, 23, of Ashgrove, Great Horton, returned home from drinking and started a fire in the yard of the house using wood and tar.

The property in Ashgrove is divided into flats, and one of Abeele’s neighbours returned home to the smell of smoke and heat in his flat.

When he went to the back of the flat he found his window damaged and a “fireball” in the back garden.

He then found Abeele kneeling with his head in his hands.

Rukhshanda Hussain, prosecuting, said the fire had been started to get revenge towards Abeele’s landlord, and was in close proximity to the building. He had tried to put out the fire but it got out of control.

Ian Hudson, defending, said Abeele admitted arson in a police interview, and said he wants to return home to Latvia as soon as possible.

Sentencing, the Recorder of Bradford Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC said: “Arson at the back of houses is always very dangerous.

“You are not a bad man, but pretty serious damage was caused out of anger and revenge.”