A PARANOID drug addict who set fire to his family home because he thought his partner was having an affair has been jailed for three years and four months.

Patrick Rittich doused a pair of his boxer shorts in white spirit to start the blaze at the house in Birk Lea Street, West Bowling, Bradford.

Rittich, 38, pleaded guilty to arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered on the morning of March 15.

Prosecutor Alisha Kaye told Bradford Crown Court today that the rented property was a back to back terrace where Rittich lived with his partner and their young son.

She was woken at 4am on the day of the fire by Rittich running round the house.

He went out to buy cigarettes and when he returned, he demanded: “Where have you got him?” referring to his paranoid suspicion that she was hiding a man in the property.

The woman left the address taking her son and the family dog and Rittich locked the door behind them.

He then put the boxer shorts in the bath, set fire to them and left the house.

An eye-witness who saw that the property was alight called the fire service at 9.40am. Two fire appliances attended to extinguish the blaze.

Miss Kaye said that the bathroom was gutted and the estimated cost of the repairs was £15,000.

Rittich’s partner heard the sirens and went back to the house fearing that he was dead.

He rang her and handed himself in at Trafalgar House Police Station soon afterwards.

He was remanded in custody and sentenced on a video link to Leeds Prison.

Rittich told the police his partner was having an affair and they had been in his house.

He bought the white spirit when he went for cigarettes, soaked his boxer shorts in it and set the bathroom on fire.

He did not try to douse the flames or call the fire service.

Rittich said he was addicted to the Czech version of cocaine and did not intend to hurt anyone.

Miss Kaye said the bathroom was gutted. The wiring was destroyed and a hole was burnt through the ceiling.

Rittich’s partner needed Red Cross parcels for herself and her son, and their neighbour, who was at home with her children, was very frightened when she realised the house next door was on fire and feared they would be trapped inside.

Jessica Heggie, Rittich’s barrister, said in mitigation that he was very remorseful and now drug free.

Judge Richard Mansell QC told him: “You were paranoid and believed your partner was having an affair under your nose.”

Rittich had no previous convictions in the UK, where he had lived for ten years, or in his native Czech Republic.

Judge Mansell conceded that he had mental health problems but said they were brought out by long-standing drug abuse that began when he was 14.