Woman set fire to her own home

An arsonist started a blaze in her council flat after taking‘ legal highs’.

Michelle Stewart, 50, told her neighbour in North Shore Road, Troon, that her upstairs property was ablaze.

Stewart told her neighbour to get out as she had set her home on fire, Ayr Sheriff Court heard.

The neighbour rang 999 while Stewart smoked a cigarette.

Depute fiscal Hayley Robertson said Stewart told arriving police officers: “I set the curtains on fire with a lighter. I don’t give a f***.

The blaze on November 23 last year caused £ 2900 worth of damage to the living room window and frames and wall.

Stewart has been in Polmont Prison since November but was released last Tuesday after Sheriff John Montgomery sentenced her to 200 hours’ unpaid work.

Her solicitor Gregor Forbes said: “This is a woman who has a long history of mental illness.”

Mr Forbes said his client, who was suffering from paranoia, had not been taking her medication and instead was on mind alternating‘ legal highs’.

Sheriff Montgomery said fireraising was a “very serious offence” and would normally be punished by a jail sentence.

Holding back from imprisonment, the sheriff told Stewart she had worsened her condition by not taking her medication and consuming psychoactive substances and alcohol.

Stewart will be supervised for 18 months and must attend counselling and have a psychiatric assessment.

Drugs formerly known as legal highs have been banned in Scotland. Retailers used to sell the psychoactive substances openly but a crackdown has forced the market underground.