A MAN who admitted a string of offences after setting fire to a house, has been told “the only possible sentence is custody”.

David Nott set light to a home in Kennington Road, Kennington on June 24 and drove at speed from the scene.

He was remanded in custody at Oxford Crown Court yesterday after the Crown Prosecution Service agreed to accept his pleas.

Last month he admitted charges of arson, criminal damage, dangerous driving and affray. He denied burglary and arson with intent to endanger life.

A woman and a child were in the house at the beginning of the incident but had escaped before the fire was set, the court heard.

Jonathan Stone, prosecuting, said: “This must have been a shocking and frightening incident to all concerned – the main victims and the people living in the street who saw quite a lot of what went on that evening.”

Judge Tom Corrie adjourned sentencing until October 29 and said: “The only possible sentence here is custody, unless there is something the court does not know.

“The only question is length of sentence and dangerousness – whether Nott needs an indefinite sentence for public protection.”