A COCAINE addict who twice set fire to his home and barricaded himself in his bedroom during a psychotic episode has been spared jail.

Mark Beauchamp set fire to the property owned by his parents, in Salary Close, Colchester, after claiming his friends had advised him to fake his own death.

Ipswich Crown Court heard the 31-year-old used lighter fluid to set fire to his bed on April 28, 2020 before leaving the scene and confessing to a family friend what he had done.

Despite promising he wouldn’t do it again, Beauchamp proceeded to light a fire at the bottom of the property’s stairs and in the bedroom the following day.

Beauchamp admitted two charges of arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered yesterday and was handed a 22 week prison sentence which was suspended for two years.

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The court heard how he was “acting strangely” when he attended the family friend’s house at 6am, asking them to shave his head and confessing what he had done.

Beauchamp, now of Bromham Road, Bedford, explained his friends had told him to fake his own death and he stated this was the only way he could protect his “under threat” family and loved ones.

The next day, his neighbours realised the property was once again on fire, with Beauchamp shouting: “You know my predicament, this is the only way I can save my mum and dad”.

When the police and fire brigade attended the scene, he had barricaded himself in the bedroom and told officers it was a training exercise for them, before being removed by force.

Donal Lawler, mitigating, said: “At the time of this incident he was clearly an unwell man and there were significant concerns about him due to his mental state.

“He himself has no recollection of what happened over that period, which is common for people undergoing psychotic episodes.”

Judge Emma Peters added it was clear Beauchamp was not in a “balanced state of mind” but praised him for becoming abstinent from drugs and alcohol.

Beauchamp must now undertake 12 mental health treatment sessions, 80 hours of unpaid work and 40 days of rehabilitation.

He must also pay £500 in costs.