Llanelli teenage arsonist locked up after causing power cut

The fire also caused £25,000 damage at Carmarthenshire council's Ty Elwyn offices

A teenage arsonist who caused a power cut and £100,000 of damage when she set fire to an electricity sub station has been locked up for two years.

Alisha Dan, 18, of Llanelli, and another girl, 16, were arrested near the scene of the blaze on Old Castle Road on 13 November.

Swansea Crown Court heard the fire spread to Carmarthenshire council offices before it was extinguished.

Dan admitted arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered.

The 16-year-old girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, admitted the same offence and was given a two-year youth rehabilitation order.

Craig Jones, prosecuting, said a man spotted smoke coming from the substation at about 22:00 GMT and saw two girls nearby.

'Feral youths'

He alerted a passing police officer and both tried to put out the flames.

The officer stopped the two girls and a check of the younger girl's phone revealed she had sent a text message saying she was going to cause a fire.

The court heard the blaze destroyed the sub-station, causing £72,101 of damage, and caused an electricity black-out in Llanelli town centre.

The flames also spread to the council's Ty Elwyn offices, where a further £25,000 of damage was caused.

Mr Jones said the 16-year-old girl told officers she had taken "street valium" and collapsed in the back of a police car, where officers resuscitated her.

The court heard Dan already had a conviction for arson after she set fire to a flat in 2015.

Defence advocates for both girls said they had particularly tragic upbringings.

Sentencing the pair, Judge Geraint Walters said: "This was a wicked act by two feral youths and there was some planning involved."