A man who set fire to a Leeds University student dressed as a sheep because he was "trying to get a laugh" has been jailed for five years.

Jason Whatley, 39, of Faroes Close, Fareham, Hampshire, admitted setting fire to Stuart Mitchell, 19, while on a night out at a Leeds pub last October.

Leeds Crown Court heard Whatley stood by as Mr Mitchell, covered in flames, threw himself on the ground.

The judge told Whatley: "You should hang your head in shame."

The complainant describes being able to smell his own hair burning, which was particularly distressing to him Abdul Iqbal, prosecuting

The court was told Whatley, who earlier pleaded guilty to arson reckless as to whether life was endangered, used a cigarette lighter to ignite Mr Mitchell's fancy dress costume of Lycra tights and a top covered with hundreds of cotton wool balls at the Headingley Taps.

A courtroom watched CCTV footage showing the second-year Leeds University student running from the pub covered in flames and throwing himself on to the ground in the car park, closely followed by Whatley, who did nothing to help.

Mr Mitchell was left in "excruciating" pain with burns to 12% of his body, including his ankles, arms and hands and needed a number of skin graft operations.

Abdul Iqbal, prosecuting, said: "As he was running to the car park, he says the fire was on his back and he could feel and see flames shooting past his shoulders, on to his front, his arms and legs, spreading across his body, leading to excruciating pain."

He added: "The complainant describes being able to smell his own hair burning, which was particularly distressing to him."

When arrested, Whatley first denied knowing he had set anybody on fire but later told police: "I was trying to get a laugh. I don't know what I was thinking."

'True remorse'

Derek Duffy, mitigating, described Whatley's actions as "foolish" but said there was no malice or intention to harm anyone.

The barrister said his client, who was visibly shaking throughout the court hearing, felt "true remorse" for what had happened.

Judge Kerry Macgill said: "You should hang your head in shame. Not just for setting fire to Mr Mitchell but for callously standing by and not trying to help.

"You had no sensible reason to set fire to someone's clothing.

"While you were not to know he would go up in flames as he did, you stood idly by and let him burn, and that is wicked in my view."

The judge said Mr Mitchell's life had been "blighted" by what happened on the evening of 17 October and that Whatley would spend half of his sentence in custody before being considered for release on licence.