Woman receives community payback order after admitting wilful fireraising in Oban

A woman who has been behind bars for more than seven months after setting fire to the common close in an Oban block of flats has been told she will not have to spend any more time in custody.

Jacinta Maclean-Black set fire to a pile of clothes and footwear outside a flat in a Miller Road block, where she previously lived, on April 1.

The fire quickly spread to the close, endangering the lives of people living there.

But when she appeared in court for sentencing on Friday, the 24-year-old was told she would be spared any further time in jail because she had already served the equivalent of a significant custodial sentence.

Maclean-Black poured accelerant over the items, which were piled outside a flat in the block occupied by two people, and set light to them.

As well as putting the lives of those in the flat, and the whole block, at risk, the fire also left the common close, flats within the block and the electricity supply badly damaged, as well as the clothes and footwear destroyed.

As well as a charge of wilful fireraising to the endangerment of life, Maclean-Black also admitted a separate charge of putting the lives of two young children at risk as a result of her actions.

At a hearing at Dumbarton Sheriff Court on Friday, Maclean-Black’s solicitor said his client, had been assessed by social workers as ‘very positive and optimistic for the future of this young lady’.

He told Sheriff William Gallacher: ‘There has been a very substantial improvement in this young woman – it really is night and day compared to April 2, when she was first remanded. She has suffered with mental health issues and has struggled without support.

‘These issues have now been diagnosed.’

The lawyer said MacleanBlack planned to move to the Falkirk area on her release from custody, and said support and accommodation would be available for her there.

Sheriff Gallacher imposed a community payback order which will see Maclean-Black supervised by social workers for 30 months. He also made it a specific conduct requirement for Maclean-Black to attend any mental health treatment required of her by her supervisor or clinicians.

Maclean-Black’s punishment will be monitored at Falkirk Sheriff Court, where a review hearing will be held on January 31, 2020.