A teenager has admitted setting fire to her flat in Mona Street in Douglas.

Lisa Nicola McGhee, of Ashbourne Avenue, Douglas, pleaded guilty to arson when she appeared before High Bailiff Jayne Hughes on Tuesday.

The court heard that seven other incidents of arson are being investigated.

McGhee has also been convicted after a trial in summary court of making nuisance ’999’ calls.

Regarding the arson charge which the 19-year-old has pleaded guilty to, prosecutor Rebecca Cubbon told the court that a neighbour saw McGhee’s Mona Street flat on fire on May 26 at 8pm.

The woman could smell burning and saw flames coming from beneath a door.

She said that she knocked on the door but there was no answer .

The woman tried to put out the flames using her foot.

She then alerted other neighbours.

One of the neighbours used a fire extinguiser to put out the fire.

The witness said that McGhee then appeared from a lane which leads to the rear of the property.

Deliberate

She said McGhee claimed that the fire must have been started by two males who she knew as she had been out all day.

The fire and rescue service established that the fire had been started deliberately.

When interviewed by police, McGhee handed in a prepared statement to officers in which she denied starting the fire.

Mrs Hughes adjourned the case for four weeks until October 1 while the outcome of the other investigations is awaited.

Mrs Hughes said that, if there were a further seven arson charges, the case was likely to be sent up to the Court of General Gaol Delivery.

Bail continues in the sum of £500 with a curfew in place between 8pm and 7am.

McGhee is not allowed to enter Mona Street.