Man who set homeless man's sleeping bag on fire jailed for attempted murder
Graham Moffat admitted setting Mareks Vilkins' sleeping bag alight in Glasgow in 2018
A man who tried to kill a homeless man in Glasgow by setting fire to his sleeping bag as he slept has been jailed for six and a half years.
Graham Moffat admitted attempting to murder Mareks Vilkins just before 2am on August 2, 2018 in East Campbell Street in the Trongate area of the city.
The 52-year-old, who was wearing a distinctive red jacket was caught on CCTV footage, pulling out a lighter and setting the sleeping bag alight, before walking away.
At the High Court in Glasgow Judge Lord Matthews told Moffat: “You have pleaded guilty to attempting to murder a homeless gentleman by setting fire to a sleeping bag in which he was sleeping in the early hours of the morning.
“He woke up due to the heat, fumes and smoke coming from his sleeping bag. There were no flames. This was both his and your good fortune. Had fate taken another turn he would have met a most horrible death and you would be facing a murder charge.”
Moffat was in court to watch CCTV footage of the incident. His defence counsel Sarah Livingstone described his behaviour in the clips as 'bizarre.'
Ms Livingstone addd: “He has absolutely no recollection of doing this.”
The court heard that homeless Moffat, a former fishery worker, has a history of drug and alcohol abuse and psychiatric issues, but at the time of the murder bid was legally responsible for his actions.
Prosecutor Liam Ewing said: “This took place at a set of steps at the main entrance to the Lodging House Mission.
“Around 10.30pm Mr Vilkins arrived, lay in his sleeping bag with the hood partially covering his head – and fell asleep.”
Around 1.56am Mr Vilkins was woken by head, fumes and smoke coming from the bottom of his sleeping bag.
He managed to unzip it, scramble out and then beat out the fire with his arms.
Mr Ewing added: “There were no flames, only smoke. After putting out the fire Mr Vilkins went back to sleep.”
Later that morning he told staff at the Mission what had happened and they contacted police.
Officers viewed video footage from CCTV cameras at the Mission and then as they walked along East Campbell Street spotted Moffat who was still wearing the red jacket.
He was searched and had six lighters in his inside jacket pocket.
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