Man sprayed woman in lighter fluid and told police 'good luck' in attack

A man sprayed a woman from top to toe with lighter fluid before telling emergency services, “good luck in getting here on time”, a court has heard.

Ian McIntyre, 39, told his victim that he wanted to set her alight and began sparking a lighter towards her leg during the life-endangering attack at an old Aberdeenshire farmhouse.

When police responded to a 999 call, McIntyre sprayed the flammable fluid towards two constables before firearms officers arrived and removed him from the property.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that as he was being taken to a custody suite at an Aberdeen police station, McIntyre said: “I pay £1,000 a month for that house. I just went berserk and thought I’ll set it ablaze.”

At the time of the offence, McIntyre was subject to a non-harassment order banning him from approaching or contacting the victim.

Advocate depute Graeme Jessop KC told the court that McIntyre turned up at the farmhouse on the morning of December 19 last year, and the woman let him in to chat and watch TV.

The prosecutor said that initially there were no difficulties, but they began drinking, and in the evening, McIntyre became agitated and brought up previous incidents, which were reported to the police.

In the early hours of December 20, the woman contacted the police but did not speak during the call, which was terminated.

Mr Jessop said: “Due to the prior domestic history, police officers attended to carry out a ‘safe and well’ check.”

When they arrived, they were unaware that McIntyre was hiding in the back garden. No complaint was made to them, and they left the farmhouse.

The prosecutor said: “Once the police had left the scene, the complainer returned to the living room to find the accused standing in the middle of the room holding a bottle of lighter fluid. The bottle was usually kept beside the wood-burning stove.

“The accused aimed the bottle at the complainer and sprayed her with lighter fluid from ‘head to toe’. He told the complainer he wanted to set her alight, bent down and began to spark a lighter towards her leg.”

Mr Jessop continued: “This caused the complainer to back into the corner of the room as the accused continued to shout and swear at her and threatened to set her on fire. The complainer was terrified to move.”

McIntyre made a 999 call to emergency services during which he said “good luck in getting here on time” and “I’ve done it”.

The victim was heard in the background, and McIntyre told her: “You f***ed this by calling the police”.

During the call, he said: “If anyone turns up here, the whole house is going up. I’ve nothing to lose.”

The victim managed to flee from the farmhouse, and when police arrived, they found her hiding behind a car in a distressed state.

Two police constables tried to speak to McIntyre, but he continued to behave aggressively. When one officer opened the back door, McIntyre sprayed lighter fluid at him before opening a window and attempting to spray a second.

McIntyre admitted to assaulting the victim to the danger of her life on December 20 at the old farmhouse at Auchmacoy, in Aberdeenshire, by spraying lighter fluid on her body, repeatedly making threats of violence, and brandishing a lighter at her and sparking it.

He also pled guilty to breaching the non-harassment order while on bail.

McIntyre, formerly of Ellon, in Aberdeenshire, also admitted assaulting the police officers by spraying the flammable fluid towards them.

Defence counsel Neal Beardmore told the court that when firearms officers arrived, they found McIntyre asleep at the property.

Mr Jessop moved the court to make a non-harassment order and said the victim had indicated she wanted the protection of such an order for an indefinite period.

The judge, Lord Arthurson, said the case raised “various red flags”. He ordered a background report and risk assessment to be prepared on McIntyre, who was remanded in custody, ahead of sentencing.