TORONTO, Ont. – A 53-year-old man who admitted to burning down a heritage building in downtown Toronto has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Stewart Poirier pleaded guilty in October to setting fire to the Yonge Street building in January 2011, along with a string of other local arsons.

He faced multiple charges including attempted murder, breach of probation, mischief endangering life, threatening death and four counts of arson.

Court heard that Poirier, who suffers from mental health problems, had told police he got “a kick” out of lighting fires and wanted “to hurt a couple people” in one of the fires he set.

He originally faced nine charges when he was arrested in July for the heritage building fire and a fire at the building where he lived, but 29 new charges were added in connection with more than a dozen other suspected arsons.

The Crown had been seeking a 10- to 12-year sentence.