A former policeman and psychiatric nurse has been jailed for a series of drunken revenge acts that included starting a fire in a York hotel.

The Park Inn in North Street had to be evacuated when Alan Glasby, 66, set a bed-throw on fire with a cigarette lighter, said Reginald Bosomworth, prosecuting at York Crown Court.

Hotel staff had just ordered Glasby to leave the hotel because of his behaviour there.

Earlier the same day, he had made a hoax 999 call that brought firefighters needlessly to the hotel when its staff told him he had to pay if he wanted to extend his two-night stay.

He had also sent firefighters needlessly to Travelodge in Piccadilly earlier in the day while sitting in the Wetherspoons pub near it.

A few days earlier he had made a 3.20am hoax 999 call that resulted in three fire engines going to the YACRO hostel in Walmgate hours after staff there evicted him because of his behaviour.

The Recorder of York, Judge Paul Batty QC said the hoax calls and the fire were "acts of revenge".

"The offences display a deeply unpleasant, self-centred regard for only yourself and absolutely no regard as to how your behaviour affects others," he said.

Glasby, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered, three offences of making hoax 999 calls and one of fraud over his hotel bill.

He was jailed for three years and four months.

His barrister Andrew Semple said he had never been in trouble with the law before be was 63. But a work injury cost him his job as a psychiatric nurse and that led to him becoming an alcoholic and a Jekyll and Hyde character.

Glasby was "truly horrified" by his actions, He had not intended to injure anyone.

In March 2014, Glasby appeared before York Magistrates Court for vandalising his rented accommodation and sending nuisance text messages to his then landlord. He then said he had renounced the drinking that was getting him into trouble with the law.

In May the same year, when he appeared before the same court for theft committed in January 2014, he said he had conquered his drinking problem. District judge Adrian Lower agreed he had turned his life round after reading reports from the probation service and the Arc Light homeless centre.