Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Teens caused £20k of damage with fire
Josh Smith and Michael Anderson were spotted “acting suspiciously” in an Arnold Clark forecourt in Dundee’s Balfield Road.
A nearby resident then saw them lighting something — which later turned out to be an aerosol can — which was then hurled at an Autoglass repair van parked nearby.
It was quickly engulfed in flames - causing damage valued at £19,500.
Anderson avoided a jail term over the inferno - while a warrant was arrested for Smith’s arrest after he failed to turn up for court.
Fiscal depute Joanne Smith told Dundee Sheriff Court that Smith and Anderson were spotted in the car showroom compound around 10.50pm on February 27 last year.
She said: “A witness who resides close by saw two men inside the compound and heard noise coming from it. He saw them acting suspiciously and went to get his phone to call police. He continued to watch and saw one of t hem igniting something. The flame rapidly grew and police quickly arrived. The two men i mmediately fled the scene. An Autoglass van was quickly engulfed in flames. The men jumped over the wall and made good their escape despite officers giving chase. Smith was later detained and said the can had caught fire and they had thrown it.
“Anderson was subsequently detained and denied having a fascination with fire or lighting things.”
Anderson, 19, of St Leonard’s Way, Dundee, and Smith, 19, of Harefield Road, Dundee, pleaded guilty on summary complaint to a charge of culpable fireraising committed on February 27 last year at the Arnold Clark branch in Dundee’s Balfield Road.
Defence solicitor Ian Houston, for Anderson, said: “The CCTV evidence was quite clear that they were both involved.”
Solicitor Nicola Brown, for Smith, said she could provide no explanation for his failure to turn up to court.
Sheriff John Rafferty i mposed a restriction of liberty order on Anderson confining him to his home address on an electronic tag for five months from the hours of 7pm til 7am every day.
He said: “This is a serious incident that caused a serious amount of damage.”
A warrant was issued for Smith’s arrest.
A TEENAGER has been spared jail after he set fire to an aerosol can and launched it at a van — causing almost £20,000 worth of damage.