A SOUTHAMPTON man in whose flat two firefighters died while tackling a blaze has avoided jail for smashing a window and making threats.

Karl Hoffman’s flat was where the 2010 Shirley Towers fire broke out after he failed to notice the smell of burning.

The blaze resulted in the deaths of firefighters James Shears and Alan Bannon.

Seven years on, he was in the dock at Southampton Magistrates’ Court, where he pleaded guilty to threatening behaviour and damaging property.

The court heard how Hoffman, 33, smashed the window of Eleanor Harrison’s home in Bitterne Road West.

As reported, the court heard when Hoffman smashed the window, Miss Harrison was inside the home while her grandchildren were watching a film.

Prosecutor Natalie Angel said: “She heard a loud bang and a sound she described as a ‘popping’, and saw glass coming flying in. She ran into the living room and said, ‘My window has been smashed’.”

She then told her son-in-law, Ashley James Moore, who confronted Hoffman outside their home. Mr Moore managed to wrestle the pole from Hoffman before neighbours restrained him.

Before the incident, the court heard that Hoffman had made threats towards both of them and called them “grasses”.

Ms Angel added: “The incident has left the victim feeling very worried. If she had not jumped up so quickly, the glass would have hurt her. She is in fear to go to sleep in case he comes back.”

The court heard Hoffman failed to take his medication and chose to drink alcohol that night.

She said the matter related to a noise complaint and Hoffman suffered from attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and schizophrenia. He was handed a community order, a £100 fine and ordered to pay compensation of £80 with a £85 surcharge.