22 years for feud thugs who torched house with family inside
BY GRANT McCABE THREE yobs who sparked a blaze at an ex-soldier’s home have been jailed for a total of 22 years.
Christopher Harkins, 34, James O’Brien, 23, and Stephen Garrity, 24, targeted Andrew Patterson in an apparent row over a load of wood.
Andrew’s BMW Gran Turismo was set alight with the fire spreading to his house in Annan, Dumfries-shire.
The car and property were wrecked. Andrew and his family – who had been asleep – managed to escape.
Jurors heard the blaze was so severe, it took several hours to extinguish.
The trio yesterday returned to the High Court in Glasgow after each had been convicted of wilful fire-raising.
Lord Beckett described Harkins as “the primary organiser” in the “highly reckless” crime after a dispute over allegedly stolen wood.
He added that both Harkins and O’Brien had “hatched a plan” to target Andrew before “recruiting” Garrity.
The judge also spoke of the family’s terror and described their lucky escape.
He said: “Immediately above the garage was a bedroom and it was perfectly obvious from the appearance of the house that this would likely be the case. It was sheer good fortune that the parents were awoken by the noise of the fire, probably the noise of the fuel in the car exploding. They were able to get everyone safely out of the house before the fire had taken hold of the upper floor but it was a terrifying experience for all concerned.”
The court heard Andrew had run a firewood company which hit money troubles. He had earlier sold Harkins £250 of wood.
In a police interview, Garrity said he had been offered £50 to start a fire.
The court heard yesterday that Andrew lost his home and he and his family now live with relatives.
Harkins was jailed for nine years, O’Brien six years and Garrity seven years.