A MAN started a fire in the ladies section of a public toilet, causing a cistern to “smash to pieces” and a sanitary bin to 'explode' - a court has been told.

Joshua Stephens, 25, of Marble Hall Road, Milford Haven, pleaded guilty to arson when he appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates Court on Tuesday (April 26).

Prosecutor Ellie Morgan said Stephens was arrested for the incident, which took place at the council-owned toilets in Haverfordwest’s Castle Lake car park, after a female friend of his called police and informed them of what he had done.

"The defendant admitted to police he had set fire to a coat that had been discarded in the female toilets," Ms Morgan explained.

"The heat caused a sanitary bin to explode, a cistern to smash to pieces and led to the entire toilet block being covered in a layer of black soot. The cost of repairing the damage was £168.20."

Defence solicitor Michael Kelleher said it "would have been easy" for Stephens to have blamed the arson on the young woman who “shopped him” to the authorities.

"With her record, I'm sure police would have believed him over her," Mr Kelleher said.

"But he was frank with police from the outset, although he couldn't say why he'd done what he'd done, and he had no idea so much damage would be caused.

"Obviously, setting fire to the coat in the first place was a stupid idea. What he did was reckless, rather than intentional."

Probation officer Julie Norman interviewed Stephens and said he claimed it was his friend who had been "lighting things" in the toilet and had encouraged him to join in.

Magistrates sentenced Stephens to a 12 month community order with 50 hours of unpaid work and 15 days of rehabilitation activity.

He must also pay for the damage to the toilet and settle court costs of £145.