At Omagh Magistrates Court yesterday (Tuesday) Garry Phillip (33), with a previous address in Lisnaskea was charged overnight with arson.

A police detective detailed to the court that on September 23 a report was made to the police that a man, later identified as the defendant, had set fire to himself, posting videos of the incident to Snapchat.

Police arrived to the scene with the fire service and had to enter the smoke filled property to get Phillip out.

Following the incident, Phillip was detained under the mental health act and released on street bail shortly after. However he was later arrested, interviewed and charged, with police opposing bail in fears of further offending.

Defence barrister Myles McManus informed the court however that Phillip’s account of the incident was that he lit an open fire whilst intoxicated and ambers from the grate ignited the house fire.

Mr McManus continued, adding that agents from the defendants house insurance deemed the fire to be ‘accidental’.

Deputy District Judge John Connolly released Phillip on his own bail, with conditions including no contact with his spouse, a curfew from 9pm to 6am and to sign at a police station three times a week.

Phillip will return to Enniskillen Magistrates Court on October 9.