A PSYCHIATRIC report has been ordered by a crown court recorder on a Colne man who confessed to deliberately setting a fire in his home town.

Neil McConnell, 22, of White Grove, has pleaded guilty to arson, and threatening to commit criminal damage, and appeared at Burnley Crown Court for sentence. Defence counsel Hugh McKee said a pre-sentence report had been made available on his client.

But McConnell had already been referred to the community mental health team by his probation officer, the court heard.

Mr McKee said that the court would be looking at a possible custodial sentence, when it came to dealing with the defendant.

And adjourning the case for a psychiatric report would also enable the prosecution to obtain an original fire report, and background documentation, on the incident.

Recorder Peter Atherton bailed McConnell until June 9 for further assessment.