iStockA man attempted to set fire to his block of flats and a chip shop with petrol canisters.
Paul Smith, 42, tried to start the blazes in Paisley on the morning of September 2, 2024.
Smith initially splashed accelerant on his front door and pieces of paper which he put through a neighbour’s letterbox.
He then left the block of flats and set fire to a car before he fled to a chip shop to escape police.
Once there, a crouched Smith set fire to shutters, which increased in size.
Smith was later found by officers with a knife concealed in his trousers.
The incident resulted in a mass emergency response including a four fire engines and a number of ambulances at the scene.
The scene was initially believed to have been a petrol bomb scare which resulted in road closures and nearby properties evacuated.
Smith pled guilty at the High Court in Glasgow to two charges of attempted fire-raising.
He also admitted a charge of wilful fire-raising and possession of a knife in a public place.
The court heard Smith was spotted the day before carrying two plastic petrol canisters near his home.
Smith contacted his partner later that night, stating, “Something doesn’t seem right,” which caused her concern.
In the early hours of the morning, a neighbour heard Smith shouting outside his flat.
Four hours later, Smith shouted and swore in the close, stating: “You b******s in your bed sleeping, wake up you lazy f***ers.”
Prosecutor Neil McCulloch said: “Smith entered the close and doused his flat door with lighter fluid and lighter gel.
“He left a black suitcase smeared with accelerant outside his flat door.
“He then sprayed the walls of the close between his flat door and the front door with accelerant and ignited a sheet of paper then posted it through the door of another flat.”
Fortunately, the resident of the flat was not at home and the fire went out without any damage to other items.
Smith then left the close and went onto the street.
He was heard to shout: “You think you own the road.”
Another resident then became aware there was someone shouting outside his flat. He saw one of the canisters beside his car and scorch marks on the passenger side of the vehicle.
Police were flagged down by members of the public who stated that they believed the vehicle had been set on fire.
Officers traced Smith to Andy’s Golden Fry chip shop, where he was noted to have crouched down.
A fire was then spotted in the area Smith had been crouched in, and it increased “significantly in size.”
It was noted that the fire was set against the steel shutters of the chip shop which did not catch alight.
Smith was held by officers who told them: “I’ve not set any others, I can blow that out for you.”
After he was arrested, he said: “Aye good, I want the jail because I would keep setting fires, I have a blade on me.”
Officers then recovered a kitchen knife from Smith’s waistband.
Sentencing was deferred pending background reports by Judge Lord Colbeck until next month.
Smith had his remand in custody continued.
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