Solicitor’s son set brother on fire with petrol as long-running family feud ended in murder
Victim’s girlfriend also seriously injured in attack which left parents suffering from smoke inhalation
A SOLICITOR’S son has admitted murdering his brother by pouring petrol on him and setting him alight following a long-running feud.
Blair Logan doused younger brother Cameron in fuel as he lay in bed with Rebecca Williams, his 25-year-old girlfriend, who was seriously injured.
Logan, 27, is facing a life sentence after pleading guilty to killing his brother, who was a 23-year-old psychology student, and attempting to murder Miss Williams, a radio journalist, at the family home in Milngavie, East Dunbartonshire, on New Year’s Day.
His parents, David and Catherine, who were also in the house at the time, had to be treated for smoke inhalation. The family’s dog, Gomez, died in the fire.
Logan was also charged with endangering the lives of his parents, who were at the High Court in Glasgow to witness his guilty pleas.
The court heard that the brothers had a “hostile” relationship and had not spoken to one another since the death of their grandmother in 2013.
The attack was said to be in retaliation for an incident at the house when Logan’s brother had punched him. Searches of the killer’s computer found he had researched burn injuries.
The court heard that Logan told police he never intended to kill his brother and only wanted to maim or cripple him.
The Tesco store assistant told detectives he took the petrol from a church garage a month and a half before the fire and stored it in his bedroom.
On the night of the attack, his brother and his brother’s girlfriend, who lived in Glasgow, had arranged to stay over at the family home and his mother set up an inflatable mattress for them in the living room.
At around 7.15am, Mrs Logan was woken by Gomez whining and when she went downstairs she saw a figure in dark clothing standing inside the living room.
Miss Williams also saw a man in the room, holding something that was on fire, and she and Cameron both screamed.
Mr Prentice told the court: “Catherine Logan then heard Cameron roar in surprise, shock and fear, before the ac- cused made a jerking motion with his arm as if throwing something.
“The accused then ran from the living room and went out the front door.
“Catherine Logan slammed the door behind him, shouting something like ‘Get the hell out of my house’, still not knowing who it was.
“When she turned back towards the living room, she saw ‘orange and crackling’ and the room turning black. She also heard Cameron and Rebecca screaming.”
She tried to open the door to the room without success and ran out of the house to ask neighbours for help.
Miss Williams managed to crawl out of the room into the kitchen, and put her head in the fridge in a bid to protect herself from the fire.
‘When she turned back towards the living room she saw ‘orange and crackling’ and the room turning black’
Logan’s father David tried to get into the living room but was beaten back by the smoke and flames.
After he escaped from the house he and a neighbour rescued Miss Williams from the kitchen.
She suffered burns to her hands, arms and face, which has left scarring. She has undergone surgery four times.
Shelagh Mccall QC, mitigating, said her client had shown “wicked recklessness” but had not intended to kill his brother.
He was said to have “felt physically sick at the whole thing”.
She added that he had “unusual” personality traits and a lack of understanding of the impact of his actions on others.
Lady Scott, the judge, asked for a social work report and will sentence Logan on Aug 11.