A firestarter who "could have killed someone" when he torched a County Durham family home has been jailed.
Neil Cook started three separate fires inside a home on Porter Terrace in Murton in March.
The property was engulfed in flames within minutes and left uninhabitable, with neighbouring homes also affected.
Cook, 46, was identified as a suspect due to a dispute with the homeowner over a car, and GPS data from his electronic tag confirmed he had been at the address.
A vehicle which he used to travel to the home was captured on CCTV and was registered to his address in Gateshead.
A spokesperson for Peterlee CID said: "Cook could have killed someone that day and it’s lucky that no one was injured.
"He destroyed a family’s home and everything in it without a second thought.
"His luck ran out however when he led officers straight to him with his tag data – he is clearly not the most intelligent of criminals.
"We hope this sentence can bring some comfort to the victim who lost everything because of Cook’s selfish actions."
Cook was arrested and charged with arson endangering life and burglary.
He gave a ‘no comment’ interview to police but later pleaded guilty to arson and not guilty to burglary.
He was sentenced to three years and ten months in prison for arson at Newcastle Crown Court on August 12.
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The burglary charge will remain on file.
No one was inside the property at the time of the fire, and no injuries were reported.
Police said the damage to the home was extensive, leaving it uninhabitable, and neighbouring addresses were also affected by the blaze.