A drug addict who stole from a neighbour's house after his wife had been left with the keys, then started a fire, has had his jail term cut.

Robert John Kenderdine, 28, of Broadfield, Crawley, was jailed for four-and-a-half-years in July after pleading guilty to burglary and arson.

Kenderdine, who "inexplicably" returned to the house to start a blaze days after the break-in, had his sentence reduced to three years yesterday by Mr Justice Jack at the Court of Appeal.

The judge said the stricken homeowner, a mother living with her young daughter, left her Crawley home for a three-day break in December last year. She left her keys with Kenderdine's wife who had agreed to look after the property.

Kenderdine, who was desperate for drug money, used the key to get in and stole two mobile phones which he later sold on the street.

Days later he returned to the house and started a fire in a cupboard, causing damage of around £1,200.

The blaze was quelled after the fire brigade was alerted and Kenderdine himself tried to fight his way back into the house to douse the fire but was beaten back by the smoke.

Mr Justice Jack said Kenderdine could not explain why he started the fire, particularly as he had no grudge against the owner.

The judge described the offence as "simple arson", involving no threat to endanger life.

There was no evidence that Kenderdine was suffering from a mental disorder.

But he had become involved with hard drugs, using heroin and crack cocaine.

The total sentence made Kenderdine a long-term prisoner and the term imposed for the arson offence was simply "too long", said Mr Justice Jack.

"This was a serious offence but a three-year sentence would have been sufficient," the judge concluded.

The reduction means Kenderdine is now no longer classified as a long-term prisoner.

He will have to serve only half, rather than two-thirds, of his jail sentence before becoming eligible for parole.