A YOUNG father torched a flat in a “revenge attack” on his girlfriend’s ex-lover.

Daniel Barton caused thousands of pounds damage when he started the late night blaze at a Southampton flat belonging to Stephen Pharoah.

The arsonist then tried to cover his tracks by phoning 999 claiming a masked man was on the run.

But police were led to him by a series of messages sent to his girlfriend Donna Alexander telling her what he had done.

Now Barton is behind bars for two years after a judge warned the “reckless” act could have killed someone.

Barton, 27, of no fixed address, admitted one count of arson endangering life.

Southampton Crown Court heard how Barton targeted Pharoah’s basement flat in Lake Road, Woolston, at around midnight on August 28, 2013.

Barton had just started going out with Mr Pharoah’s ex-girlfriend Ms Alexander – and the former couple’s relationship had ended badly, the court heard.

Prosecutor Duncan Milne told the court how Barton – who was previously been friends with Mr Pharaoh – used a cigarette lighter to ignite a yellow duster placed outside a bedroom window.

Maria Dare sleeping in a next door room awoke to smell what she thought were “wires melting” but returned to sleep after failing to see smoke or flames, it was heard.

They awoke later to discover charred remains which had caused £7,000 worth of damage to the window and net curtains, but had failed to spread to the room.

Mr Milne branded it an act of “pre meditated revenge” and said: “It was a night where residents were asleep in a basement property where there’s a risk to other properties.”

The court heard how Barton called 999 claiming he had seen a man dressed in black and wearing a balaclava in the area.

He also sent messages to Ms Alexander’s phone worrying he could “go to prison”, the court heard.

When police arrested him he claimed he had left his house that night to go jogging and carried two dusters to wipe away sweat, it was heard.

The court heard how Mr Pharoah was shaken by the incident which had worsened his anxiety and depression.

In mitigation, Charlotte O’Connor, said Barton’s actions were “out of character” at a time when he had been suffering personal problems and was also convinced Ms Alexander was pregnant with his child.

Ms O’Connor said: “Without a loving background he found himself at his lowest ebb and it clouded his judgement.”

But sentencing him Judge Gary Burrell said: “Reckless arson is a very serious offence because it means someone could have died or been seriously injured.

“You plainly wanted to do something as a revenge act and in your case the fire didn’t take hold.”