AN ARSONIST with mental health difficulties who was rescued from a blaze he sparked during a suicide attempt has been locked up.

‘Desperate’ Gary Clark, who is battling depression, was discovered clutching a six-inch blade on the stairs as his home in Buttercup Square, Oxford, went up in flames.

The 52-year-old, who has made repeated attempts to take his own life, was yesterday jailed despite psychiatrists confirming they could offer him mental health treatment in the community.

But Judge Peter Ross said he could not hand Clark a suspended sentence and force him to get help as medics were not prepared to recommend compulsory treatment be attached to his court order.

Instead, medics suggested Clark would have to ‘voluntarily’ seek help to overcome his depression, which he could not do while behind bars, Judge Ross said.

The judge feared the public would be at risk if he spared Clark jail and he attempted suicide again, telling Oxford Crown Court he was doubtful the arsonist would willingly seek out long-term treatment himself.

Jailing the defendant for three years and nine months, he said Clark was ‘completely and utterly’ out of control at the time.

Judge Ross added: “This court has been placed in an extremely difficult position. The risk to police officers and firefighters was enormous. If there had been an explosion, there would have been a very real risk of serious injury or even death.”

Prosecutor Jonathan Stone said Clark’s ex-partner Karen Johnson returned home from a neighbour’s house when Clark barged into her room, yelling he was going to kill himself.

She called police and fled into the garden after the defendant ‘came at her’, spotting flames coming from the window soon after.

An officer forced his way into the house and screeched at Clark to get out, but the defendant lunged towards him grasping the kitchen knife.

He tried to ‘negotiate’ with the defendant, who had been drinking, but was forced to retreat back outside when smoke from the fire spread, Mr Stone said.

Clark was eventually dragged out unconscious as firefighters extinguished the blaze and was rushed to hospital where he was sedated.

Defence barrister Kellie Enever said Clark, who was on anti-depressants at the time, made sure Ms Johnson and their dog were out of the house before he set it alight.

Clark, who had 22 convictions for 77 offences, was extremely distraught after discovering his suicide attempt had failed, Ms Enever added.

She went on to say he had ‘suffered hugely’ with depression and branded his coping methods as ‘poor’.

The defendant, who must pay a victim surcharge which will be given to Ms Johnson as compensation, admitted arson reckless as to whether life was endangered on January 25.