A teenager has been jailed for more than three years after committing a string of offences, including an arson attack which caused an estimated £1.4m worth of damage.

Peter Evan Corteen was also convicted of sexually assaulting a girl under the age of 16 on a number of occasions.

He also broke into homes and outhouses to steal women’s and children’s underwear.

Corteen, now 19, previously admitted 15 offences in total and appeared at the Court of General Gaol Delivery for sentencing on Thursday.

The first offence was one of arson which was committed on August 8, 2023.

A neighbour called 999 after seeing smoke billowing from the Africa House site on Woodbourne Road. The large property is the former home of disgraced Isle of Man millionaire Trevor Baines.

Prosecutor Kathryn Johnson said the property had lain empty for some time and had become something of a hotspot for antisocial behaviour.

Fire crews were dispatched to the scene, but the fire had already been burning for an hour by the time the alarm was raised.

The blaze was started in the old swimming pool room and, while fire officers could not identify exactly where it took hold, they confirmed that it was started deliberately.

Corteen, originally from Ramsey, was arrested but initially denied starting the fire although he admitted being in the area at the time. He even sent a Snapchat video to a friend from the scene.

He later admitted the fire was started after he discarded a cigarette and that it was a deliberate act.

The development company which owns Africa House later stated the damaged caused stood at a staggering £1.4m. There had been plans to redevelop the site, but part of the property had to be torn down and rebuilt.

Mrs Johnson then told the court about the three burglaries and two thefts Corteen committed between April 21 and April 27, 2024 in the Ramsey area.

During one incident he broke into a property while people were inside and stole underwear and, on another occasion, took underwear from a set of drawers.

He also broke into outhouses which contained dryers or washing machines to steal swimming costumes and underwear. On other occasions he took items from washing lines.

Corteen’s home was later searched and a total of 93 items, mainly knickers and bras, were found.

In an impact statement, one victim said: ‘The impact this has had has been utterly devastating and frightening. I was unable to sleep and felt vulnerable and unsafe in my own home. I wasn’t sure if these thefts were personal to me.’

Another victim explained how the incident has left her paranoid.

She said: ‘It was unsettling to find someone had taken such items. I felt sick and extremely upset. I felt disturbed and angry that I could not feel safe in my own home. I felt a sense of paranoia.’

Corteen also admitted eight sexual offences against a girl under 16. He had contacted her over Snapchat and asked her for nude photos.

They met on three separate occasions during which he had sex with her each time. He admitted three offences of having sex with a person under the age of 16, three of indecent assault and two of gross indecency with a child.

The offences were committed between June 11, 2022 and March 30, 2023.

In an impact statement, the victim said: ‘This has been hard for me both physically and mentally.

‘The sexual assaults left me unsettled and I was confused by a lot of guilt. It has had a massive impact on the relationship with my mum.

‘I still get flashbacks which are triggering. I started counselling due to struggles with my mental health.

‘I lost my confidence and self-esteem, and I felt bad about my image.’

In mitigation, advocate Stephen Wood said his client had grown up a lot since spending 14 months in prison.

He said: ‘There has been a lot of growing up being done and he has developed significantly during this time.

‘What his victim (of the sexual offences) has said has now sunk in and he is sorry. The remorse is genuine.’

Mr Wood explained that Corteen’s behaviour at the time was due in part to the teenager being bullied and he was trying to fit in which led him to drug use and harmful actions.

Mr Wood said: ‘This is a young man who has acted in a misguided way to try and fit in with others.’

In relation to the burglaries and thefts, Deemster Graeme Cook told Corteen that, while the monetary value of the items stolen, the personal nature of the garments made the burglaries and thefts so much more upsetting to the victims. He said they were ‘sinister’ crimes.

Deemster Cook said that while he took into account Corteen’s remorse and age, he also had to keep in mind the totality of all the offences. But he said tht all the offences were incredibly serious and the impact on the young victim of the sexual offences was devastating.

He also said the costs from the arson damage were incredibly high and he took into account Corteen had previously been convicted for arson offences.

For the sexual offences, Corteen was jailed for 14 months in total. He was handed 12 months consecutively for the arson and a further 12 months consecutively for the burglary and thefts. That means Corteen was jailed for three years and two months in total.

Deemster Cook also added a further two years on licence once Corteen is released due to him being a danger to the public.

He was also given a five-year sexual harm prevention order and has been put on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.

Deemster Cook told Corteen: ‘You have strong family support and I hope you can move on when you are released. It is only due to your age that I did not impose a much longer sentence.’