Man set fires and stole car number plates

A PRIVATE ambulance driver was confronted by a man high on drugs who set fire to a fish supper on a mail box.

Steven Armit was in a drug-induced psychosis when he told the woman he had set fire to cars in Dundee and stole registration plates.

The 35-year-old was refused admission to the Carseview Centre prior to the incident at MKS Car Sales on Charleston Drive.

Armit also set fire to a cushion in his home in an effort to be seen by mental health professionals.

Dundee Sheriff Court heard he banged on the private ambulance on Ancrum Road.

“The accused approached the driver’s window stating he had set fire to cars nearby,” prosecutor Alan Bell said.

“He said he had managed to put the fire out. He handed the witness a lighter and she contacted the police.”

Officers noted evidence of a recent fire, with CCTV footage showing Armit removing a number of registration plates from cars, as well as setting the mail box on fire.

Five days later, he was in his home on Dunholm Terrace when he told his partner he was going to set fire to his home.

Police found the charred remains of a sofa cushion.

Armit previously pled guilty to twice wilfully fireraising – on November 17 and 22 – and stealing registration plates.

His solicitor Joe Myles said his client had had an extremely difficult upbringing.

Mr Myles said: “This history has had a significant adverse impact on his mental health and he has occasionally turned to drugs, particularly cannabis, as a coping mechanism.

“Unfortunately, that led to him suffering from drug-induced psychosis in 2019 and he was admitted to Carseview for two weeks and was successfully treated.

“In October 2023, he took magic mushrooms and that led him to the relapse.”

Armit was told to perform 100 hours of unpaid work and placed him on supervision for 18 months.