An asonist who put fire officers in danger after starting a blaze and then barricading his Birmingham flat has been given an indeterminate prison sentence.

John O'Reilly twice set his flat on fire, on the second occasion putting tubs filled with white spirit in front of his door.

In sentencing O'Reilly to imprisonment for public protection, Mr Justice Coulson said that if the tubs of spirit had been knocked over by fire officers entering the premises it could have caused considerable damage and injury''.

O'Reilly, 47, had previously pleaded guilty to two charges of reckless arson.

Sally Hancox, prosecuting at Birmingham Crown Court said that O'Reilly lived on the first floor of a block in Stanmore Road, Edgbaston, which was owned by a housing association.

She said on September 18 last year a neighbour living on the top floor heard noises coming from O'Reilly's flat and noticed the smell of petrol.

When he went down to speak with the defendant he was met with abuse and went back up but later noticed thick smoke in the stairwell.

The fire brigade were called and put out a fire which had been started in O'Reilly's flat and which they found to be empty.

Miss Hancox said O'Reilly, who had injured himself in starting the blaze, was arrested a few days later and bailed.

She said about one month later the fire brigade were again called to the block where it was found O'Reilly had barricaded his door.

As well as the tubs of spirit officers also found two saucepans containing a liquid which had been left on a lit stove in the kitchen.

Miss Hancox said the premises were again empty and O'Reilly had probably left the flat by exiting onto a flat roof.

However he was arrested a few days later after being found wandering around nearby in the early hours.

Martin Butterworth defending said O'Reilly, who had a previous conviction for manslaughter, had acted out of desperation after realising he would not be allowed to stay at the address.

He said he had to accept that the way the second fire had been set was intended to cause maximum damage and ensure the destruction of the property.