A TEENAGE ice cream salesman convicted of petrol bombing a Worcester house has been sentenced to 12 years' detention.

Sajad Hussain wanted revenge after a 15-year-old girl accused him of sexually assaulting her.

He and two accomplices - who have never been caught - went to her Ronkswood home in the night and hurled milk bottles full of petrol through a window in the front door.

Six people - including four children - escaped from the blazing building on August 2 last year. Police found a makeshift wick with Hussain's thumbprint on it and a neighbour saw him driving away from the blaze and picked him out in an ID parade.

In March, a jury found the 19-year-old, of Rainbow Hill, Worcester, guilty of arson with intent to endanger life.

He was also convicted of perverting the course of justice by trying to persuade his pregnant girlfriend Jody Boulton not to tell the court he had confessed to her.

"This was a dreadful offence," said Judge Michael Mott.

"You knew there were children in that house but told Miss Boulton you didn't care.

"I thought about a life sentence but that would be disproportionate considering your age."

The judge commended 21-year-old Miss Boulton, who had since given birth to Hussain's baby, for her courage in passing information to the police and giving evidence.

Edward McKiernan, defending, said Hussain - who had previous convictions for violence - had launched an appeal.

He said the psychiatrist's conclusion that Hussain was suffering from an anti-social personality disorder was not accepted by the defence.

The judge ordered that a charge of indecent assault against the defendant should lie on the prosecution file. The jury cleared Hussain of five counts of attempted murder.