A jilted lover was caught on CCTV as she posted lit cigarettes through the letter box of her ex partner's shop.
Exeter Crown Court heard that Jenny Watts could be seen smoking two cigarettes outside the baby equipment shop in Barnstaple before pushing the lit stubs onto the doormat.
They landed close to a newspaper in the floor of the shop but did no serious damage because the mat was at the WaSBaby ship in Bear Street was fireproof.
Watts escaped jail after a Judge was told she suffers from Asperger Syndrome and had not received the support she needed in the community.
Watts, aged 31, of Sunny Nook, Braunton, admitted arson and was ordered to receive 18 months supervision by Judge Phillip Wassall at Exeter Crown Court.
The judge told her:"It is very clear from the evidence you did not have in mind actually injuring anyone, particulars bearing in mind what I have read about your condition.
"You have the support of your family and suffer from Asperger and have not had the professional support you might have done in the community as an adult.
"You were in a relationship which had been going on for some 12 months and you say you were trying to harm your ex partner financially.
"I am satisfied you are now aware of the risk of what you did, which you did not contemplate at the time. You are of previous good character and the help you will receive from supervision will make it highly unlikely you will offend again."
Mr Gordon Richings, prosecuting, said Watts had been in a relationship with shop co-owner Wayne Keenan, which had broken up and left him living with another woman.
He said:"She went to the WaSBaby shop. She bought cigarettes and smoked one before pushing it through the letter box. She lit a second and did the same thing.
"They burned for a short time and were about an inch away from a newspaper on the mat. They were found by Mr Keenan who realised they must have been posted through the letter box.
"He recognised the brand of cigarette as Sovereigns, which his ex partner used to smoke and he checked his CCTV which showed the defendant outside.
"She was arrested and admitted to police she put the cigarettes through the door to cause Mr Keenan the same pain he had caused her.
"She said he intended to get revenge. She did not mean to hurt him or anyone else physically but meant to ruin his business."
Mr Nigel Wraith, defending, asked the Judge to take note of a psychiatric report and follow the suggestions of a probation pre sentence report and give Watts credit for her guilty plea and previous good character.
