A 33-year-old Ipswich man who set light to a mattress and a carpet in his former bedroom during a psychotic episode has been made the subject of a community mental health treatment order.

James Bird had been reported missing by his mother on March 9 this year and during the afternoon he had turned up unannounced at his step-father’s home in Chantry Green, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

He was talking with an American accent and while he was at the premises his step-father noticed a packet of his cigarettes had disappeared from a table.

Bird had gone upstairs to his old bedroom and barricaded himself in and appeared to be having a psychotic episode, said Adam Norris, prosecuting.

When Bird came out of the room his stepfather found burnt patches on the mattress and the carpet which appeared to have been caused by cigarettes or matches.

Bird, of Finchley Road, Ipswich, admitted arson and was given a 12 month community order, a 12 month mental health treatment requirement and a 35 day rehabilitation activity requirement.

Stephen Mather for Bird said his client had been in custody for eight months and would welcome support from the community mental health team.