Dad kicked out over drug use sparked huge garden blaze

A doghouse dad forced to sleep in his garden shed lit a camping stove and caused a huge blaze.

Hapless Kyle Reid, 28, burned down the family’s shed and its contents, torched the kids’ t rampoline, scorched his neighbour’s shed and left a BT telephone pole and a garden fence fire damaged.

Paisley Sheriff Court heard dadof-three Reid had been booted out of the family home by his partner Deborah Connor after taking to drugs and drink in the wake of a family tragedy.

Before the blaze, Reid had showed up at the family home at Motehill Road, Gallowhill, worse for wear and demanded he be let in, shouting and bawling abuse, and repeatedly striking the front door.

Prosecutor Pamela Brady said the cost of the fire damage caused by Reid’s antics on September 9 last year ran to £1,350.

He pleaded guilty to charges of culpably and recklessly setting fire to a blanket and other bedding material causing fire to take effect and set alight two garden sheds, a trampoline, a telegraph pole and a wooden fence.

He also admitted behaving in a threatening and abusive manner.

Reid admitted bail offences and a charge of police assault in Paisley on October 4 last year where he punched an officer in the face.

Defence agent Gemma Elder said Reid and his partner had been together for 14 years and he been taking drugs and drink after the suicide of his dad.

He claimed, at one point, he was using £1,000 of cocaine each day.

She said: “He attended at the home address under the influence of drink and drugs and was asked to leave.

“He had nowhere else to go. He was living in this garden shed. He had been taking substances and set a camping stove alight.

“Items which were in the shed, including a petrol mower and bike, were damaged. He only took the action to keep himself warm when what occurred thereafter took place.”

Sheriff David Pender told Reid: “The second charge is the most serious of the charges and had it not been changed from wilful fire-raising, to a lesser charge of recklessly and culpably setting fire, imprisonment would have been the best disposal.”

He handed Reid, of Netherhill Crescent, Paisley, a Community Payback Order comprising 18 months of supervision, with the requirement he carry out 280 hours of unpaid work in 12 months.

He was fined £650 for the police assault and breach of bail.