Fire-raiser who turned himself in is jailed

A FIRE-RAISER who confessed to police after torching his tenement flat has been jailed for 40 months.

The High Court in Glasgow heard that 52-year-old Robert Algeo snapped over the pressures of Covid, losing his job and problems with a neighbour.

He set three fires in his tenement flat while most of the other 11 flats in the block were occupied and then walked to the nearest police station 30 minutes away and confessed.

In court, Algeo admitted wilful fireraising to the danger of life of the neighbouring residents at 96 Middleton Street, Glasgow, on August 12, last year.

Jailing Algeo, who appeared via a video link, Lord Arthurson said: “Neighbouring flats had to be evacuated and £34,000 of damage was caused.

“You have accepted responsibility and have expressed remorse for this crime from the outset.”

Lord Arthurson said it was fortunate no-one was injured and praised the fire brigade and police for their prompt action in tackling the blaze.

The court heard that Algeo told stunned cops: “I’ve just set my flat on fire. It was my intention to burn the whole close down.”

He set fire to a wardrobe, a cardboard box containing clothing and a cardboard box inside a wardrobe.

Defence counsel Sarah Livingstone said: “This was a moment of madness. His intention was to damage his own flat. He then made his way to the police station and told them what he had done.”

She added: “He says it is possible he told police he had wanted to burn down the tenement, but that was not his intention.”