A CRACK cocaine addict burned a homeless man’s belongings and the flames then caused extensive damage to a town centre shop.

Lindsay Dewey targeted the belongings of Graham Sawyer outside the Montague Centre in Worthing.

The blaze at the front of the Laura Ashley shop then spread, destroying the shop front and much of the interior.

In total prosecutors estimate the fire caused £150,000 worth of damage.

At Lewes Crown Court, the 41-year-old admitted two counts of arson, and Mark Watson, defending, asked the court to take the time for a pre-sentence report to be made for his client.

He said: “She has a background of drug addiction to crack cocaine, but is currently on methadone treatment to rid herself of drugs.”

Judge Christine Laing QC told Mr Watson and Dewey that she should have “no illusions”, that the most likely sentence she would face would be a spell behind bars.

The judge said: “This is arson, the cause of setting fire to the belongings of a homeless person in a deliberate manner.

“The belongings were up against the store front. It seems to me to be incredibly dangerous behaviour.

“She should be under no illusions that this crosses the custody threshold by some margin. The court will of course consider all the information put before it.

“I am going to put this matter back for probation to prepare a pre-sentence report.”

Dewey, of no fixed address, will face sentencing on January 11 next year.