A Red Cross emergency response truck which contained more than £50,000 worth of medical equipment was destroyed in a fire started by an Inverness man.
Josh Metcalfe’s guilty plea to the charge of culpable and reckless fire-raising was accepted by prosecutors yesterday.
A major police investigation was sparked after the vehicle, which was parked near the international charity’s office in Cradlehall Business Park, was found burnt out in the early hours of September 13, 2016.
But experts couldn’t determine if it was started deliberately.
One local councillor yesterday described the incident as “shocking” and “appalling” and said he is glad the perpetrator has now been caught and dealt with.
And a spokesman for British Red Cross said: “Every day we help some of the most vulnerable people in the UK and overseas. We’re very experienced at dealing with crises so were able to ensure the vehicle’s loss didn’t affect our ability to deliver help to people who needed it.
“However, we were very disappointed the attack took place and are pleased this is now reaching a legal conclusion.”
Fiscal depute Robert Weir told Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday that the fire service and police has been called to Smithton Primary School on September 13, 2016, to deal with a fire outside of the building.
But later in the morning, the emergency services responded to another report of a lorry on fire at Cradlehall Business Park.
Upon arrival the Red Cross vehicle, worth £9,000, was well ablaze.
Mr Weir added that the vehicle and its medical contents, worth around £51,000, were destroyed.
The trailer was packed with vital equipment, used by the charity at major events and for emergency responses. Among the items inside were emergency response bikes, trolley beds and gazebos.
Metcalfe, who had been seen nearby, was arrested and had minor burns to his hands. He admitted wilfully damaging a cigarette bin by knocking it off its wall mounting and recklessly setting fire to the emergency vehicle.
The 20-year-old also admitted breaking into the lorry with intent to steal and pleaded guilty to failing to appear for an earlier hearing.
First offender Metcalfe had sentence deferred for a background report until September 6.
Inverness South councillor Duncan Macpherson, who was on a the local community council at the time, said: “It’s an appalling act and I am glad they found the perpetrator. It was totally out of character for that area and it shocked the other residents of the business park and those in nearby homes.
“It was solved quite quickly partly because, as a community council we took to social media and shared photographs and other details widely and the public came forward.
“The British Red Cross do a wonderful job and this act should disuade others from taking part in something like this which can have such huge cost implications. Hopefully this person will learn their lesson.”