A hostel worker was left terrified after a resident set fire to a box and a poster in the middle of the night.
Gerrard Wilkinson engulfed the reception area of 29 Honeygreen Road in smoke after setting fire to the items on April 3.
The 45-year-old tried to post the items through a service hatch which leads to the staff office and sleeping quarters.
Dundee Sheriff Court heard how staff member Sarah Paterson was awoken by the fire alarm and managed to extinguish the blaze.
Wilkinson, 45, is now facing a prison sentence after he admitted endangering the life of staff and residents.
The court heard how the fire alarm was activated at 9pm on April 2 after Wilkinson claimed to Ms Paterson that he was cooking and opened his window.
Fiscal depute Marie Irvine said: “At 4.10am, the same witness woke up with the alarm sounding and could smell burning.
“She went into the reception and noticed a box sitting smouldering on the reception desk. She removed it outside and the fire service were contacted.
“A CCTV review was carried out and shows the accused at 4.01am lighting a poster on fire and trying to post it through a service hatch at the reception area.
“At 4.09am, he picked up the cardboard box and brought it into the reception area before lighting it on fire.”
Police attended and a visibly shaking Ms Paterson said she had “never been so scared” before adding that Wilkinson was not welcome at the hostel.
Wilkinson, a prisoner of HMP Perth, pleaded guilty to culpably and recklessly setting fire to a piece of paper and a cardboard box in the reception area on April 3 to the danger of residents and a staff member.
Sheriff Tom Hughes deferred sentence on Wilkinson until January and continued to remand him in custody meantime.
He said: “This is a very, very serious matter indeed and in order to carry out a risk assessment I will require reports on you.”
To better understand how our court reporting works, click here to view our online guide.
This article originally appeared on the Evening Telegraph website. For more information, read about our new combined website.