Sozzled mum set her curtains on fire before attacking cops

A troubled mum who tried to torch her house by setting curtains on fire went on to attack two cops.

Rachel Boyle, 30, set her drapes alight after downing booze at her home, with the fire spreading quickly from her window.

Yesterday, Paisley Sheriff Court heard quick-thinking members of the public rushed over and helped extinguish the blaze at her property in Robertson Street, Barrhead, on the evening of April 25.

However, sozzled Boyle then attacked cops called to the incident when she bit one officer so hard, her teeth punctured the skin on his forearm.

She also assaulted another cop by kicking the officer on the body.

Procurator fiscal depute Dana Barclay told the court: “At around 9.35pm, the accused was within her home address.

“At that time, she set fire to her curtains in order for her flat to catch fire.

“A fire engine which attended observed the fire had been extinguished.

“The witness observed damage to the window, frame and mouldings.

“The accused was in a distressed state outside the flat. She stated she had set the fire.

“Members of the public had assisted in extinguishing the fire.”

The prosecutor added the emergency services were in attendance at the scene when Boyle flipped out and attacked police officers.

She said: “Police and the ambulance service were called and they attended a short time later.

“They observed the accused was intoxicated when she spoke with paramedics.

“Police attended and she was hostile and refused to engage.

“They attempted to take control of her and place her in handcuffs when she bit a police witness on the right forearm breaking the skin.”

Boyle, who was taken to the Royal Alexandra Hospital, in Paisley, amid concern for her welfare, also attacked another cop by kicking the officer on the body.

She appeared in the dock before Sheriff Iona McDonald and pleaded to a charge of culpable and reckless conduct by setting fire to her curtains to the danger and injury of others.

She also admitted assaulting two police officers.

Defence agent Matt Lynch said his client had been in a “black spot” prompted by her abusing alcohol, feeling depressed, and had recently had her children taken from her by social services.

He said: “She is someone who knows she has done wrong.

“She very much knows the consequences of her actions.

“She was abusing alcohol.

“Her children were taken from her last April. She was in a black spot and does not really remember much about this, except that she only meant to harm herself.

“She did not think this would harm other people.”

He added that Boyle understood “this is a serious charge which could have had serious consequences”.

Sheriff McDonald tore a strip off the mum, telling her: “Can you imagine a woman with a wee baby who couldn’t have got out?

“She could have been overcome by smoke. This is horrific.”

She added: “Just because you have problems, you shouldn’t visit your problems on others.”

The sheriff said she came close to jailing Boyle, but stopped short of imposing custody after studying reports that showed she has remained sober for more than three months, and had accepted her responsibility early on.

She handed her two years of supervision by the social work department and ordered her to perform 250 hours of unpaid work.