A thug who fractured a man's jaw, spat at a police officer and set fire to a Maidstone flat, has been given an five-year jail term.

Rowdy Raymond Wood was already under a suspended jail sentence when he launched an unprovoked attack on a housemate.

Maidstone Crown Court heard how the drunken 26-year-old accused Michael Chetwynd of reporting him for not keeping the communal kitchen clean.

Prosecutor Bridget Todd told how in June 2018 Mr Chetwynd had been woken up by a drunken Wood banging on his door and accused of reporting him to staff.

"Wood was angry and raising his voice, forced his way into the flat and punched him to the face, just below his eye. There was a lot of blood coming from his nose."

Hours later Mr Chetwynd was taken to Tunbridge Wells Hospital where he was treated to fractures of his nasal bones and jaw.

The judge, Recorder Ed Burge QC told him: "This was an unprovoked, vicious and wholly unnecessary attack."

Wood, of Square Hill Road, Maidstone, admitted charges of reckless arson, causing grievous bodily harm and assault on an emergency worker.

In November 2019, Wood, who worked for Euro Car Parts, had been drinking with housemates in Square Hill Road, when an argument broke out.

"Five or 10 minutes after the housemates had left, the defendant was seen burning Rizla papers at the bottom of the communal stairs. These were stamped out by other residents," the prosecutor added.

Wood then went upstairs to his room but minutes later ran out shouting: "Fire, fire...get out."

A scared resident noticed "thick black smoke" coming from the top of the stairs and had to be treated for smoke inhalation.

Ms Todd said a drunken Wood was found by firemen sitting outside on wet grass with smoke coming from him. He had set fire to clothing before leaving the property.

Wood was arrested and began kicking and head-butting police officers and spitting at one of them, hitting him on the cheek.

Damage from the fire cost more than £20,000 to repair and a number of residents had to be rehoused.

Keith Middleton, defending, said Wood "had alcohol difficulties" and had been sharing a house on Ashford Road, Maidstone, with "others who had similar proclivities".

"He is now very remorseful and is resolved not to touch alcohol again."

Wood was ordered to serve three months of the suspended sentence, consecutively with 45 months for arson, three months for spitting at the officer and nine months for the attack on Mr Chetwynd; totalling 60 months.

The judge then extended his sentence by three years after ruling that Wood still poses a danger to the public.

That will be served on licence when Wood is released after serving at least two-thirds of the five year term.

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