A reckless arsonist who shut down the fire alarm in his block of flats and sent the stairwell up in flames has avoided jail.

Kyle Watts was seen throwing accelerant on the blaze as neighbours slept in the Folkestone town centre building, which houses at least 25 flats.

His actions placed residents in fear for their homes as they were evacuated following a huge emergency service response.

But the 35-year-old avoided jail at Canterbury Crown Court on Thursday after it emerged he was in the midst of a mental health crisis at the time.

Moments before starting the fire - which would cause almost £10,000 worth of damage - Watts dismantled the community fire alarm, the court heard.

Distressed neighbours spotted the firestarter throwing flammable items into the blaze at around 1.30am, the prosecution explained.

But smoke billowing through the corridors would trigger a separate alarm to ring out and wake those nearby.

Following a 999 call, firefighters fought back the flames and secured the area, meanwhile Watts was arrested.

He gave a no comment interview to the police but would admit arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered at an early opportunity.

There were no injuries during the events which unfolded at the Princes Gate building, situated in The Bayle, during the early morning of November 1, 2021.

The court heard Watts’ outburst came amid “a cocktail” of drink and drugs, including anticonvulsant medication gabapentin, in the aftermath of a relationship breakdown.

Phil Rowley, mitigating, detailed the traumatic events which overshadowed Watts’ younger years and his subsequent mental health difficulties.

The lawyer stressed Watts pleaded guilty at an early opportunity and had worked to steer clear of drink and drugs.

Recently, Watts was diagnosed with emotional instability disorder, with psychiatric reports stating he was in the midst of a crisis at the time of the arson.

“When you set that fire you were reckless as to whether you put their lives in danger...”

The court was told Watts has “no history of fire setting” but a previous conviction for possession of an imitation firearm.

The judge, Recorder Amy Nicholson, said Watts’ premeditation during the arson was an aggravating feature of the case.

But his culpability was reduced due to his deteriorating mental health at the time, she explained.

Handing down two years custody suspended for 24 months, she added: “The most serious factor is that you set the fire that day in a residential block of flats in which there were a number of people living.

“When you set that fire you were reckless as to whether you put their lives in danger.

“The fire was detected and extinguished and there was significant damage, more than £9,000 worth.”

She told Watts, who could be seen fidgeting in the dock, he had been given a last chance,” adding: “If you are to breach the order I impose you will be brought back before the court.”

Watts, of Fosters Close, was handed a six-months alcohol abstention order, 50 rehabilitation days and 200 hours of unpaid work.

Judge Nicholson said she hoped the unpaid work would help give Watts some structure, having been unemployed for a significant number of years.