Dogwalkers saved field from blaze after man threw cigarette into crop

A sniggering Fifer who threw a cigarette into a Buckhaven wheat field could have caused £6,000 worth of fire damage but for the quick thinking of local dog walkers.

Christopher Thomson appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court to admit acting in a culpable and reckless manner at Muiredge Plantation – beside Starkies Woods.

Fiscal depute Mat Piskorz said: “At approximately 8.30 on August 25 2019, people were walking their dog in a wooded area next to the locus called Starkies Wood.

“They passed the accused exiting the locus, sniggering.

“One of the civilians heard what she thought was crackling.

“They walked along the trodden wheat path where the accused had just come from.

“There, they found two or three small fires in the

long wheat and extinguished them by stamping and calling for Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.”

The areas of ash each covered between one and two square metres.

Mr Piskorz explained SFRS were unable to find any sign of an accelerant, but firefighters believed the incident was an act of fire raising and police became involved.

Officers traced and arrested 28-year-old Thomson.

The court heard had it not been for the quick action of the passing dog walkers, the blaze could have caused up to £6,000 worth of damage.

Thomson, of Rowan Crescent in Buckhaven, admitted he started the fire.

His solicitor Lynn Herbert said: “There’s a path that goes across the field. It’s not officially a right of way. Basically, my client says he was walking through the field with a friend.

“He threw a fag. “Luckily, it doesn’t seem to be a particularly bad fire.”

Unemployed Thomson was told to be of good behaviour for three months by Sheriff Maryam Labaki.

The sheriff told him: “You’re very lucky that the fire didn’t cause more damage and that people were near to stamp it out.”

First offender Thomson is due back in court on May 26 to be sentenced.

Christopher Thomson.