A MIDDLEWICH man has been fined after threatening to burn down a halfway house.

Michael Birkinshaw, of Chester Road, pleaded guilty to the offence at Chester Magistrates Court on July 22.

Two days earlier, on July 20, the 35-year-old made a threat to a man that he would burn down a building belonging to Emerging Futures.

Founded in 2014, Emerging Futures is a company which provides around 300 bed spaces for people across the country which bridge the gap between homelessness and stable accommodation.

Birkinshaw made the threat with enough sincerity, it was feared it would be carried out.

Taking his guilty plea into account, magistrates fined Birkinshaw £120 and ordered him to pay £85 in costs and a £48 victim surcharge.

An application was made for the court bill to be collected via deductions from his benefits, with the lump sum to be paid in full within 14 days.