Man jailed for setting flat alight and attacking firefighters
A man who set fire to his flat and then lashed out at firefighters with a screwdriver as they tried to tackle the blaze was jailed for three and a half years.
A man who set fire to his flat and then lashed out at firefighters with a screwdriver as they tried to tackle the blaze was jailed for three and a half years. Twenty-eight -year-old Aaron Black admitted wilfully setting fire to 70 Birkshaw Brae, Wishaw in the early hours of January 1. He also pleaded guilty to brandishing a screwdriver at firefighters and lashing out at them and attempting to strike police officers. Sentencing Black judge Lady Scott told him: 'I'm satisfied that you presented a danger to yourself and the public.” Lady Scott added: “You not only placed the residents of your block of flats at risk, you tried to attack firefighters who arrived to put the fire out. At the time you were highly intoxicated on a mixture of Valium and alcohol.” She ordered Black to be monitored in the community for three years after his release. The High Court in Glasgow heard that Black has 10 previous convictions, including a breach of the peace involving emergency workers. Advocate depute Shirley McKenna, prosecuting, said: “When the fire brigade arrived there was thick smoke in the lobby and a number of the occupants were, by this time, outside the building in a distressed state. "Fire officers instructed the accused to leave the burning flat. He ran at them armed with a weapon and refused to leave. “Due to his aggressive behaviour towards the fire crew the officers retreated and called for urgent police assistance.” The court heard that Black shouted at the firefighters: “We're all burning. I'm going to hell and yous are coming with me.” Black was wearing gloves with a piece of wire attached and the screwdriver was secured by the wire. When police arrived Black attempted to attack them and shouted: “It's time to die.” Eventually police managed to detain Black. All the residents in the block of flats, including young children, had to be evacuated due the to thick choking smoke from the fire. Miss McKenna added: “The accused put his own life, the fire crew's lives, the residents in the buildings lives and the attending police officers' lives at risk.” Judge Lady Scott was shown CCTV footage of residents escaping the fire and Black attacking the fire crew and police officers. Defence counsel Tony Graham said his client regretted his actions and had pled guilty at the earliest opportunity.