AN 'ATTENTION-seeking' arsonist has been jailed for four years after he committed a 'wicked' crime. Adam Prater, of Priory Mills, Bridport pleaded guilty to deliberately starting a fire in a block of flats, reckless as to whether life was endangered. Dorchester Crown Court heard that on the evening of January 28, Prater had argued with his ex-girlfriend in a fourth-floor flat at Priory Mills.

He then went in to a bedroom and set fire to clothes on the bed, before closing the door behind him and leaving the building, the court heard. Jennie Rickman, prosecuting, said it was only by chance his ex-girlfriend went in to the room to collect something and discovered the blaze. Judge Peter Johnson said Prater's actions called for a 'substantial prison sentence' because had the fire gone undiscovered just minutes longer, the consequences could have been much worse. The court heard that two other people were in the flat at the time and that most of the other flats in the block of eight were occupied. All residents were evacuated and no one was hurt, the court was told. In mitigation, Tim Shorter said 37-year-old Prater was attention-seeking and did not mean to endanger life. He added: “Clearly by doing this he has expressed a lack of thought process that is very concerning. “Because whilst it was always probably his intention that having started the fire he stayed to put it out, clearly he doesn't stay to make sure it was out.

“If he had done that then the damage would have been confined to some burnt clothes.”

He added that Prater wanted to deal with his drugs and alcohol problems. He said: “He has had something of a problem with drink and drugs over the years and he tells me all of his convictions, as far as he can recall, have been for committing crime when in drink or committing crime in order to get something to sell for drugs.”

A pre-sentence report said that Prater is at high risk of future offending, the court was told. Judge Johnson told Prater: “The offence that you committed during the evening of January 28 was a wicked one.

“You would have been aware that a number of those flats were occupied, but you say, having tried to extinguish the fire, you simply left.

“And that's what you did, not giving any warning, having closed the bedroom door, leaving your former girlfriend and friends in that flat.

“By chance she went in and discovered that fire.

“If she waited another 10 minutes, the consequences could have been much worse than they were. This calls for a substantial prison sentence.”