A MAN who was living in supported housing torched his flat “because he’d had enough of living in Abergavenny”, a court heard.

Joshua Griffin was jailed for two years and four months after admitting arson at Cardiff Crown Court.

The 29-year-old set fire to a mattress with a lighter at his old Hereford Road flat and sent a picture of the blaze to a support worker on WhatsApp, who raised the alarm.

Griffin then punched and pushed down the stairs fellow support worker Ross Davies, who rushed to the scene to try and put the fire out before firefighters arrived.

Griffin tried to stop Mr Davies and a colleague entering the flat, but they managed to use bowls of water to try and stop the blaze, which caused nearly £1,000 worth of damage, spreading to other flats.

Prosecutor Byron Broadstock said: “The defendant said he woke up feeling suicidal and had had enough of living in Abergavenny.

“He went out and bought a lighter and set fire to his mattress just to make a point about moving.”

Griffin admitted charges of arson reckless as to whether life was endangered, and assault by beating.

The court heard that he had 13 previous convictions for criminal damage.

Hilary Roberts, for Griffin, described him as a “vulnerable” man with learning and mental health difficulties, and asked the judge to take account of his guilty pleas and remorse.

But jailing him for 28 months, Judge Shomon Khan told him: “This could have been much, much worse. When you lose your temper you lash out.”

He will serve half of that term in prison before being released on licence.

He must also pay a £190 victim surcharge after his release from jail.