A CYSTIC fibrosis sufferer who had sexual activity with a 15-year-old in an Abingdon park and then set fire to his flat while on bail has been jailed.

Samuel Harkins, 23, bought alcohol for a group of teenagers in Abbey Meadows on December 19 before playing a game of ‘spin the bottle’ and going off alone with one of the girls.

After his victim went to the police, Harkins was arrested and bailed, but committed another offence just weeks later.

Neil Moore, prosecuting at Oxford Crown Court, said the defendant was sitting at the top of the stairs in his maisonette in Princess Gardens, Grove, on January 4 when he set fire to pictures of his ex-girlfriend and threw them on to bags of rubbish below.

Mr Moore said emergency services were called to the scene at about 8.40pm and found Harkins “trying to get out through an outside window, but had impaled himself on the broken glass”.

After being rescued, the defendant was later arrested at Littlemore Hospital after undergoing psychiatric assessments.

Harkins was sentenced on Monday having earlier admitted sexual activity with a child and arson.

The damage to the flat, owned by Vale Housing, was estimated at £10,000, the court heard.

Stephen Bailey, defending, said in relation to the first charge: “He did not know she was under 16.

“An important fact is she was pro-active and consented.”

Mr Bailey added: “Both offences took place after alcohol intake. He is a very vulnerable individual who was, especially at the time of the arson, finding it very hard to cope.”

He said Harkins has cystic fibrosis, depression and is being treated for drug addiction.

“His life expectancy is not good,” said Mr Bailey.

Jailing Harkins for a total of three years, Judge Hall told him: “You drink too much, you take drugs and you behave in a despicable way.”