A 20-year-old man acquitted of two arson charges will not have to face a second jury trial.

Ashley Dunn was cleared of starting fires at a house in Sling Lane, Malvern, and at the Focus DIY store in Roman Way, Malvern.

But the jury at Worcester Crown Court failed to reach a verdict on a third arson charge against Dunn, of Skyrrold Road, Malvern.

He denied responsibility for a blaze at a house in Pinners Place, Rectory Lane, Madresfield, in October 2008.

The house was being renovated when fires were set in ground and first floor rooms.

Prosecutor Jason Aris told Judge Toby Hooper QC it was not in the public interest to have a retrial on the Madresfield allegation.

But he said Dunn was due to be sentenced for burglary at the Sling Lane house on July 4, 2008, and assault causing actual bodily harm, two common assaults and public disorder.

The judge granted him bail for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.

He said custody would be "an option" but was not inevitable, even with Dunn's police record.

The jury heard last month how Dunn, Wayne Frankum and Collette Franklin walked to Sling Lane to steal beer from a fridge in the house's porch.

Frankum claimed in evidence that Dunn was "frustrated" when they failed to find any beer and lit binbags.

Two women were trapped inside the burning house. Kathryn Young, a college lecturer, leapt to safety from the first floor but broke both heels and suffered a spinal injury.

Denise Biggs was rescued by firefighters after 15 minutes suffering from smoke inhalation.

Frankum admitted during cross-examination by Paul Mytton, defending, that he set fire to a bin in 2005 which led to a conviction for criminal damage.

He and his girlfriend Franklin have already been dealt with for the break-in at the Sling Lane house. They admitted burglary before the trial began.