Teens guilty of Pollok primary school blaze

A teenager caused almost £160,000 of damage to a primary school when he set it ablaze, a court has heard.

The 17-year-old, who can’t be named for legal reasons, targeted Gowanbank Primary on December in Pollok, Glasgow in December 2016.

He and two others were spotted going into the school through a window then setting something on fire.

The trio fled the scene, back past the house of the local resident who witnessed their crime.

Glasgow Sheriff Court heard £157,595 worth of damage was caused to the school as the fire ripped through it.

The 17-year-old vandal from Pollok, pled guilty to wilfully setting fire to the school causing extensive damage to the property and furniture, on December 7, 2016.

Procurator fiscal depute Mark Allan said “About 5.30pm on December 7, 2016, a local resident saw the accused and two others walk past his house in the direction of the primary school.

“One of them was carrying a green petrol canister.

“All of them were seen to enter the grounds and access was gained to the school through a window.”

The trio were seen setting something alight which was thrown into the school and ignited.

Mr Allan said the three then escaped and made their way past the same neighbour’s house again.

The emergency services including police and fire service were at the scene by 6.05pm and “five pumps were required to bring the blaze under control”.

The green petrol canister was found outside the window where the accused had climbed into the school.

He was tracked down on December 17 and cautioned and charged, and made no reply.

Photographs of the damage caused to the school were shown to sheriff Paul Crozier, who asked for more information when the case next calls, including how the damage affected the running of the school and the pupils at it.

Sentence was deferred until October for reports.

In 2013 a janitor had to be rescued from a blaze at the school, which was thought to have been started deliberately.

The school was also hit by vandals earlier in 2016 when £10,000 worth of damage was caused.