A troubled son set fire to his mum’s wheelie bin at her Kendal home having earlier cut his own neck with a razor blade.

Carlisle Crown Court heard Dale James Hoggarth’s mother, Grace Williamson, saw a major decline in his behaviour while they were living together earlier this year.

This was due to his abuse of controlled drugs and alcohol.

Hoggarth, 25, had become ‘increasingly confrontational and intimidating towards her’, causing damage to his bedroom walls.

“On February 2 she told her son to leave,” said prosecutor Verity Quaite.

“At that point, the defendant pulled a razor blade out of his bag and started to cut his neck in front of his mother, saying ‘I will make it easy for you to find me’.”

After he left the Dale Avenue address she was concerned and alerted police.

Ms Williamson, at home that night, heard banging from the kitchen.

She went outside and found her son was angry some items from his room had been put in a wheelie bin.

Hoggarth said: “How dare you bin my stuff?”

“It was at that point she could see the wheelie bin, which had been next to a car, had been moved," said Ms Quaite, “and was now on fire.”

Hoggarth left but was arrested by police and found him in possession of cannabis and razor blades.

He later admitted arson, criminal damage, having a bladed article and cannabis possession.

Laura Broome, defending, said Hoggarth had left his employment amid the pandemic, causing difficulties.

“He has expressed his remorse and he has taken numerous positive steps since the commission of these offences,” said Ms Broome.

He now has attained independent accommodation, and is being supported by a charity to which he self-referred.

“He has made a fresh start in a new area and is settling in well.”

Sentencing Hoggarth, now of Brampton, near Carlisle, Judge Paul Lawton accepted he had made attempts to rehabilitate himself and make positive changes.

He imposed a 12-month community order with a three-month night time curfew, rehabilitation and an alcohol treatment requirement.

Of Hoggarth’s offending, Judge Lawton told him: “The whole episode was, doubtless at that time, quite terrifying for your mother.