An arsonist who risked lives trying to burn down a woman’s home in a row has been jailed.

Azaz Ahmed posted death threats to Yenny Torres’ social media page before catching a taxi to her Canterbury home, armed with fire-lighters.

The agitated 23-year-old moments before told a friend he was hoarding enough fuel to “burn a house down.”

Canterbury Crown Court heard the cleaner then set off in a taxi towards his victim’s Bingley Court address, plotting to ignite it.

But Ms Torres’ housemate spotted Ahmed through the peephole, opened the front door and saw two foot flames before they could spread.

The duo extinguished the blaze and contacted police, who, in turn, would soon discover Ahmed made “no secret” of being the perpetrator, according to prosecutor Simon Blackford.

The court heard officers found blocks of firelighters outside the apartment - identical to the fuel stored in Ahmed’s bedroom.

Ahmed also posted messages to Miss Torres’ Instagram saying “die, die” shortly before the attack in February.

Indeed, when Ahmed’s housemate asked whose house he intended to burn down shortly before the attack, he responded “her house.”

In a statement Miss Torres told the court: “I’m feeling so stressed, I’m fearful for me and my friends who live with me.

“Ahmed is out of his mind and needs help.”

The convict, who has a troubling criminal past, pleaded guilty to two counts of arson with intent to cause danger to life at a previous hearing.

Judge Mark Weekes was told Ahmed has a chequered criminal past, including four robberies, possessing a blade, and two assaults causing bodily harm.

But Nancy Williams, mitigating, argued her client suffers Emotional Instability Personality Disorder and dissociative episodes - blackouts for example.

A “robust” rehabilitation program would help Ahmed re-integrate into society, given he received the appropriate support, she explained.

Psychological and probation reports deemed Ahmed “dangerous”, triggering the judge to take extra measures for public protection.

“I’m satisfied that you do present such a risk (to the public),” he told Ahmed.

“Your behaviour was extreme and dangerous at the drop of a hat and that unpredictability, in my view makes you all the more dangerous.”

He jailed Ahmed, of Sturry Road in Canterbury, to a nine-year sentence where six years will be spent in custody and three years on extended license.

For information on how we can report on court proceedings, click here.

To read more of our in depth coverage of all of the major trials coming out of crown and magistrates' courts across the county, click here.

Read more: All the latest news from Canterbury