A JOHNSTONE man who torched his house and threatened to kill his letting agents after being warned about anti-social behaviour has been jailed.


Kenneth Begg, 60, set fire to his rented property in the town after receiving a letter from Penny Lane Homes warning him about complaints from other residents.


Neighbours had flagged up Begg’s bizarre antics, which included setting fire to rubbish in his garden, but his response was to tear his sofa apart, douse it with accelerant and set it alight.


As flames started to take hold in the living room of the Willow Avenue property, he then set another fire by lighting paper, plastic and rubbish he had piled beneath a loft hatch.


Begg fled the scene but was spotted by neighbours as he left, with his belongings stuffed in holdalls while looking back at the house.


He then left Johnstone Castle and headed to the Penny Lane Homes office in the town’s High Street, where he made threats to kill.


Begg informed staff that he had torched his flat and then pulled out a black-handled kitchen knife.


He threatened a member of staff, prompting a colleague to dial 999.

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Police went to the office while firefighters headed to Willow Avenue to put out the blaze.


Begg, who was remanded in custody at his first court appearance, pleaded guilty to charges of wilfully setting a fire at various locations in Willow Avenue, using an accelerant, which caused damage to the property.


He also admitted breach of the peace by making threats of violence and brandishing a knife.


Sentence was deferred for background reports to be prepared and, when Begg returned to the dock this week to learn his fate, he was caged for 33 months.