A hospital order will be made for a teenager who set fire to a £200,000 barge and started several other fires.

Ryan Roberts torched the 1920s 40ft Dutch cargo boat Anna Maria belonging to Christopher Barnes at Acorn Shipyard in Rochester.

The 19-year-old also started several fires at St Bedes School in Eastbourne, East Sussex, wooden steps at the cliff top of Beachy Head and a beach cafe in Winchelsea.

He was charged with four offences of arson and five of damaging property.

Roberts, formerly of Rochester, was not present for his case at Maidstone Crown Court having been found unfit to plead, and a jury unanimously he “did the act”.

Now, living in Wembdon, Bridgewater, Somerset, a hospital order under the Mental Health Act will be made when sentence is passed on August 7.

Judge David Griffith-Jones QC will hear recommendations from a psychiatrist as to whether Roberts should be detained with or without limit of time.

“The orders I can make are extremely limited,” he said.

The barge blaze destroyed the interior at the shipyard in Gas House Road on November 13, 2016.

At St Bedes School, Roberts damaged the dining room, kitchen and serving counter, and five mini buses on October 17.

The fire at Beachy Head was on December 10, 2016, and at Winchelsea Beach Cafe, owned by Shaun and Sam Cratchley, on March 28 last year.

Prosecutor Patrick Dennis said Roberts was always in the vicinity when the fires broke out.

“The chances of this being a series of unfortunate coincidences are so fanciful they can be discounted,” he said.

“He doesn’t like people. He doesn’t like dogs. He is a loner. He clearly isn’t well.”

Mr Patrick said it was clearly Roberts on CCTV footage at 7.40am before the barge caught fire.

“There he is, the same slow ambling walk,” he said.

“Walking slowly to where the barge is about to be set on fire.

"The person running from the direction of the fire has got to be responsible.”