A CRAZED lover who set his partner’s home in Peebles on fire after she dumped him is facing a lengthy jail sentence.

Pieter Lens set the blaze at the home of psychiatric nurse Pauline Nisbet after she had called off their relationship due to his erratic behaviour.

Lens also threatened to kill the woman and made phone calls to her family claiming he would also burn down their homes.

The 38-year-old began an affair with Ms Nisbet earlier this year after the pair had met at the private Castle Craig Hospital near Blyth Bridge.

Lens had been transferred to the hospital for treatment from a facility in his native Holland.

He was a patient at the hospital, which treats patients addicted to drink or drugs, in February for six weeks.

Lens and Ms Nisbet began their affair following his release.

But the addict soon began acting erratically and when Ms Nisbet attempted to end the relationship during a car journey Lens grabbed the steering wheel forcing the woman to stop.

He then angrily emptied the woman’s handbag over the grass verge before jumping into the car and driving off leaving her stranded on the A1 near to Musselburgh.

After he had been picked up by police he told them he wanted the woman dead and if he was unable to do it he would “get friends to do it”.

After being released from custody, Lens again met up with Ms Nisbet near her home in Peebles where a row broke out between the pair and he was seen heading towards her home “with a lighter in his hand”.

When the nurse arrived at her house she saw black smoke billowing from a window and she found Lens had set fire to a gas fire and a mattress within the home.

He then texted her sister stating 'watch it burn - you’re family brings me down. I’m coming for you as I’ve nothing to lose'.

He added: “I’m your worst nightmare you stupid idiot. Don’t close your eyes at night.”

Police were contacted and officers discovered Lens lying on the ground hiding behind a parked car during a search or Peebles.

Lens appeared from custody at Edinburgh Sheriff Court this week where he pleaded guilty to a total nine charges including fire raising, threatening behaviour, breaching bail conditions and driving offences.

Sheriff Thomas Welsh QC heard a lengthy Crown narration and decided to defer sentence for social work reports and a psychiatric report to next month.

Lens was remanded in custody.

Prosecutor Peter Motion told the court Lens and Ms Nisbet met at Castle Craig Hospital while she was employed a psychiatric nurse but they did not begin a relationship until after he had been discharged.

It is believed Ms Nisbet left her husband and three children to start the relationship with Lens, who was attending the hospital for treatment to addiction issues.

Mr Motion said the pair began seeing each other romantically in April this year “following a friendship” at the hospital but the nurse began to have second doubts within months.

The fiscal said she eventually told Lens the relationship was over while she was driving her car on the A1 near to Musselburgh July 11 this year.

Lens grabbed hold of the steering wheel forcing the woman to a sudden halt before he left her standing on the grass verge after driving off.

He was released on bail following a court appeared but soon breached the bail conditions by contacting Ms Nisbet and her family members by phone and making the threats to kill them.

The fiscal said Lens told officers 'he intended to kill Ms Nisbet' and that 'he didn’t care if he was in jail as his life was over anyway'.

And following a couple of fiery meetings between Lens and the nurse he then made the attempt to burn her home down after they argued on July 24.

Lens then taunted Ms Nisbet’s sister and her estranged husband by telling them both 'I’m coming for you - I’m going to kill you'.

Lens was eventually arrested and while on remand in prison he sent Ms Nisbet four letters imploring her to change her statement in an effort to secure his release.

Solicitor John Goode, defending, said his client had struggled with 'psychiatric problems and substance abuse' for the past 20 years and had been at Castle Craig Hospital after being transferred for treatment from Holland.

Mr Goode said the Home Office were aware of the situation and Lens will be deported following the completion of his sentence.

Mr Goode saved his full mitigation to next month’s hearing, but did say: “He is very regretful and is reasonably insightful into what has happened with his life recently.”