A FANTASIST who started a fire that almost burned down a pensioner’s home – with her inside – has been ordered to carry out community service.

Alan Whitten, of Hammer Lane, Warborough, caused £45,000 damage to the home of Sheila Smith when he torched a recycling bin on his way to work.

Yesterday the 47-year-old avoided a jail sentence when the judge decided prison would do more harm than good.

A jury convicted Whitten of two counts of arson but acquitted him of a third following his trial earlier this year.

Oxford Crown Court heard a police surveillance operation was mounted after three suspicious fires in Wallingford.

In the most serious, a recycling bin was set on fire, the flames spreading to 81-year-old Mrs Smith’s home.

Lindon Shepherd saw the fire and went to the rescue, putting his hands through the flames to bang on the door while also trying to move the melting bin.

The 61-year-old finally managed to rouse the elderly occupant, who escaped by the back door. By then her front door was ablaze.

The attack, in February last year, came eight days after rubbish bags outside a florist’s were set alight.

On March 11 more bags outside the same shop were torched.

The following day, at the same time, police on surveillance saw Whitten walking to catch the bus to work at Oxford University Press, approach the rubbish.

They arrested him and he was later charged with two counts of arson and one of arson reckless as to whether life was endangered.

He denied being involved.

Jennifer Edwards, defending, told the judge at Reading Crown Court yesterday: “Mr Whitten will always say he did not start those fires.”

She said it was clear that he had learning difficulties and said: “If he went to custody he would suffer far more than the average prisoner.”

Judge Mary Jane Mowat told Whitten: “The jury clearly thought you started the fires but did not perceive the dangers.

“The consequences of one were horrific – a lady’s house was damaged to a significant extent.

“Had she not been roused anything could have happened.”

“There is a secret side to you which you are perhaps rather guarded about revealing and it seems the commission of these offences was part of that pattern.”

She placed Whitten under a 12-month supervision order and ordered him to carry out 200 hours’ unpaid work.