Man who put lit flare through woman's letterbox while she slept in Wick attempted murder bid jailed

A man has been jailed for 11 years after trying to murder a sleeping woman in a fire attack at an address in the Highlands.

David Macgregor ignited a flare and put it through a letterbox at the property in Wick, in Caithness, while the victim was asleep

A judge told Macgregor, 46, that fortunately the victim’s smoke and fire alarm at the upstairs flat was activated and she got out.

Judge Norman McFadyen said Macgregor had committed the crime “during the hours when any inhabitant would be expected to be asleep”.

He told Macgregor that attempted murder was always a serious crime and added: “This was a shockingly deliberate act.”

Macgregor, formerly of Coach Road, Wick, had earlier denied attempting to murder the woman during a trial but was convicted of the offence.

He wilfully set fire to the property at Bremners Walk, on May 3, 2021 by lighting the flare and putting it through the letterbox while the victim was sleeping.

He carried out the murder bid after he was freed on bail at Wick Sheriff Court months earlier on December 7 in 2020.

The court heard that Macgregor has an extensive record of offending, but the judge told him: “This is by far the most serious offence.”

Defence counsel Colin Neilson said that Macgregor’s record appeared to reflect drug abuse but there were no prior convictions for violence and added: “This offence would appear to be out of character.”

He said Macgregor continued to deny the attempted murder and said: “Notwithstanding his denial it would appear he recognises the seriousness of the offence and how awful it would have been for the complainer.”

The defence counsel said: “It is clearly an extremely serious matter with potentially far, far graver consequences than resulted.”

He added: “Clearly a prison sentence is inevitable.”