A DUDLEY man whose life was saved by brave members of staff after he started a fire in his room at a mental health hospital in the town has been jailed for three years nine months.

Twenty one patients and staff had to be evacuated from Bushey Fields Hospital after thick smoke billowed through the building and many of them had to receive treatment to clear their lungs.

Alex Stinton removed the smoke alarm in his room before starting the fire and he was then found unconscious on the floor of his room after being overcome by smoke inhalation.

Judge Barry Berlin told 31-year-old Stinton who wedged open the door of his room after starting the fire, "Brave members of staff saved you from death.

"Rather than wait for the fire crews to arrive they put their own lives at risk to rescue you and for their pains they all suffered smoke inhalation."

The Judge said Stinton, who had a long list of previous convictions for offences including robbery, burglary, violence and criminal damage, it was clear he had started the fire deliberately.

"You not only put your own life at risk but you risked the lives of others in the building," he added at Wolverhampton Crown Court.

Stinton, now of no fixed address, admitted arson and being 'reckless as to whether life was endangered' and as well as being put behind bars the Judge further made him the subject of a hospital order.

He said Stinton would be held in a psychiatric unit for as long as it was necessary and when he was deemed to be well he would then be transferred to prison to serve the remainder of his sentence.

Mr Mark Phillips prosecuting said Stinton, who suffered from a mental disorder, set fire to paper and then clothing to start the blaze after disabling the smoke detector in his room.

He had not given a thought to the safety of others in the hospital from the fire which caused a significant amount of smoke damage.

Then, after his rescue and arrest, Stinton who had 34 previous crimes on his record, said he started the fire because he felt doctors were not helping him in any shape or form.

Mr Glenn Cook defending suggested to the court that Stinton wedged his door open because he wanted to be found by staff members.