A felixstowe man has been jailed for more than two years after admitting setting fire to his brother's stables and barns in Levington.

Robert Shwer, of Brightwell Road in Felixstowe, was also handed a 10-year restraining order on top of his 30month prison sentence, which he will spend at least half in jail and the rest on licence.

Judge Emma Peters sentensing Shwer today at Ipswich Crown Court said it was a "cruel, unnecessary and serious offence", which had caused "a great deal of anguish and upset".

David Matthew, prosecuting, told the court, that the blaze caused damage estimated at £32,000 to the stables and an attached barn and a tractor belonging to the couple.

Schwer, 56, went to his brother and sister-in-law's in Levington, near Ipswich, on October 15 last year armed with a jerry can of fuel and two lighters.

Ipswich Crown Court heard Schwer, who has a history of mental health issues, was previously employed by the couple, but the relationship had broken down and he felt aggrieved having not been invited to a recent family wedding.

Following the fire, police found Schwer, who had been drinking, in his car nearby and he told officers: "I did do it."

In police interview, he told officers he had taken a jerry can of fuel and two lighters, in case one of them did not work, and was 85% sure that he was going to set fire to the stables.

He told police he watched the blaze from nearby and had checked beforehand to see if any animals were inside.

Schwer said watching the barn burn to the ground was like "a burden being lifted", the court heard.

In a victim impact statement, Schwer's brother said he had tried to support him through his difficulties over the years and it was a "shattering blow" to learn what he had done.

Matthew Sorrel-Cameron, mitigating, said Schwer had made "full and frank" admissions in interview.

He said his client had been "in and out of hospital" and had experienced issues with alcohol.

Mr Sorel-Cameron said: "His life was spiralling downwards, and he became further embittered and angry with his family."