Fife firebomber found guilty of murder bid

A Fife businessman who petrol bombed two houses has been found guilty of attempted murder.

Naveed Iqbal was seeking revenge after footage of his brother being attacked at a McDonald’s restaurant appeared online.

The 34-year-old targeted two homes in Glenrothes, both of which had young children inside, on March 28.

A 16-year-old boy, thought to have been involved in the attack, lived in one of them.

A lit petrol-filled bottle was hurled through a window at the houses in Alexander Road and nearby Adrian Road.

The occupants all managed to escape but a 16-year-old who helped pull his brothers and sisters from their beds was badly burned.

Iqbal, who runs a car repair firm, had denied being involved in the crimes but he was found guilty by a jury at the High Court in Glasgow.

He was remanded in custody and will be sentenced next month.

The court heard Iqbal’s younger brother had been the victim of an assault and a clip of the incident appeared on Facebook.

Iqbal told the court: “I was a wee bit upset watching it. I was angry.”

His QC Donald Findlay asked him: “Did you swear vengeance on the people responsible?” He replied: “No.” The accused said he had not been aware of any petrol bomb attacks until the day after they happened.

Ryan Easton, 26, of North Lanarkshire, had faced the same charges but jurors returned not proven verdicts.