A CONVICTED arsonist beat up his female friend's colleague before he took her car so he could drive to his dealer to get his drugs.

James Hall of Ryelands Street, Hereford, was jailed at Worcester Crown Court on Friday for a string of offences including a 'gratuitous assault' on a total stranger which left him dazed and confused.

The 32-year-old admitted assault by beating, two counts of harassment, taking a car without the owner's consent, driving without third party insurance and breach of a conditional discharge.

Hall had been handed a conditional discharge and been made subject to a restraining order in November last year in respect of Kelly Preece after sending her malicious communications.

Charles Hamer, prosecuting, said Hall's messages to Miss Preece had referred to a man named Dave. He wrote 'that man won't ever set foot in my gaff again' and referred to this man as 'gross' with a laughing emoji.

The court heard that Miss Preece had been working at the Marygold Indian takeaway in Hereford on February 21 this year where she worked as a delivery driver.

A man named Jamie Fry was waiting in her car when Hall, whom he did not know, opened the door and got in.

Mr Hamer said Hall swore at him and said 'who are you?'

He added: "He immediately punched Mr Fry to the right hand side of his head. He was shocked and had no idea what was going on or who was making these demands. He was punched a further three times in the head. Mr Fry, as a result, was dazed. He said 'I'm Kelly's friend. I work with Kelly' and received a further punch to the side of the head and the response 'not tonight'."

Mr Hamer, who described the assault as 'gratuitous', said Hall told Mr Fry to leave the car and not to go to the police, telling him 'I know where you live'. Miss Preece returned to her car to find Hall sitting in it instead of her friend. He asked her to give him a lift to Leominster. When she said she could not Hall became 'agitated' and 'angry'.

As she was driving along Grandstand Road in Hereford when Mr Hamer said Hall grabbed the handbrake which caused the car to stop.

She put the hazard lights on and ran off towards a nearby pub but saw that Hall had not followed her. A friend later returned her car keys and her car was found in Dinmore. The £80 to £90 she had been paid for takeaway orders was missing from her car though Hall has never been charged with theft of the cash, the court heard.

Miss Preece also found half a bottle of Captain Morgan rum in the car which did not belong to her.

On February 23 Hall arrived at Miss Preece's home but she did not answer the door.

Mr Hamer said Hall entered her home through the back door and asked her if she could hide him from the police. Officers found him in the loft and he was arrested, telling officers he had never been in an intimate relationship with Miss Preece and that their friendship was 'on good terms' as she had cared for his mother in her last days.

He told police he had gone to her house to apologise for taking car and had wanted to go to Leominster to buy drugs after seeing Miss Preece by chance in Union Street.

Hall has 20 previous convictions for 45 offences dating back to 2007 including for arson, affray, criminal damage, handling stolen goods, possession of an imitation firearm, possession of a knife and sexual assault dealt with by way of a community order.

Andrew Parker, defending, said: "He described to me the events on February 21 as being a moment of madness, a spur of the moment thing driven by chaotic thinking clouded by the desire to feed his drugs habit at that time."

Mr Parker said there was no pre-mediation or planning and that the window fitter had not been taking his medication for a complex collection of mental health issues which include a depressive illness, anxiety and psychotic episodes.

He said Hall had already spent 32 days in custody, had expressed remorse and pleaded guilty to all counts at the earliest opportunity.

Recorder Robert Spencer-Bernard said: "This comes down to three to four days of unpleasant, threatening or violent behaviour."

He jailed him for 15 months and banned him from driving for 12 months, extended by seven and a half months so the ban will begin when he is released after serving the custodial element of his sentence.

Recorder Spencer-Bernard also extended the restraining order by five years.