A MAN who set fire to a luxury hotel before climbing on its roof and tumbling to the ground while high on cocaine will not go to prison.

Samuel Richfield caused £42,000 worth of damage to the four star GreyFriars Hotel in Colchester High Street when he set his second floor room alight.

Guests were evacuated at 2am on February 24 last year and watched on in horror as the 31-year-old gained access to the roof and threw tiles towards them.

Ipswich Crown Court heard Richfield then tumbled from the top of the property and snapped his left femur upon hitting the ground.

Echo: Emergency - a police car blocks Colchester High Street as emergency workers deal with Samuel RichfieldEmergency - a police car blocks Colchester High Street as emergency workers deal with Samuel Richfield (Image: Newsquest)

The nightmare guest then spat blood at emergency workers and kicked one in the chest as they worked to treat him at the scene.

Steven Dyble, mitigating, compared Richfield to Jekyll and Hyde, saying: “He is Mr Hyde when under the influence of drugs, leaving chaos and mayhem behind him.”

He explained Richfield had become psychotic as a result of voluntarily abusing drugs since the age of 13.

Richfield, of Culture Close, Colchester, admitted arson, possession of cocaine and four offences of assaulting emergency workers.

Echo: Response - emergency crews at the scene in Colchester High StreetResponse - emergency crews at the scene in Colchester High Street (Image: Newsquest)

But Judge Nicola Talbot-Hadley spared him a spell behind bars to allow him to continue his rehabilitation from drugs.

Investigating fire officials found the blaze at the GreyFriars had been deliberately lit by a naked flame in room 15, where Richfield was staying for one night.

Hotel bosses said he caused £42,000 of damage by “gutting” the room, with the venue losing a further £18,000 in income while repairs were carried out.

Simon Gladwell, prosecuting, said Richfield was seen bleeding from two deep cuts on his right forearm and his thigh bone was exposed from his left leg after he fell from the rooftop.

Echo: Sentence - Samuel Richfield appeared before Ipswich Crown CourtSentence - Samuel Richfield appeared before Ipswich Crown Court

He had to be handcuffed on a stretcher after spitting blood at police officers and kicking a paramedic.

The defendant was then sectioned at a mental hospital for two months.

Mr Dyble said he was “profoundly mentally ill when this offending took place” but admitted it was “self-inflicted” from the drugs he took.

Richfield was handed a three year community order with 40 days of a rehabilitation activity requirement.