A drunk man who set fire to his carpet and had to be rescued by firefighters told police he “had nae gas left” and was just “having a wee heat”.
Kevin Robertson used aftershave and a lighter to set a fire on his chilly living room floor then repeatedly ignored neighbours’ pleas for him to come out.
He instead shut the curtains of his council-owned first-floor flat and lay down next to the blaze with a bottle of vodka.
Fire chiefs later said the makeshift campfire was just “moments away” from spreading through the floor and into other properties in his four-flat block on Howes Road, Bucksburn.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told how smoke “billowed” from the flat after fire crews battered down the door and carried Robertson, 52, out.
Fiscal depute Carol Gammie said concerned onlookers tried to get Robertson from the flat after spotting smoke coming from his home and calling 999.
“A third neighbour heard the commotion outside and rushed to the accused’s flat,” the fiscal said.
“The neighbour climbed up onto the window ledge and looked into the living room window, whereupon he saw a fire in the middle of the living room floor, approximately one foot wide.
“He was observed to be lying next to the fire with a bottle of vodka in his hands.
“He was awake but appeared to be under the influence of alcohol.
“He continued to knock on the accused’s door and was shouting for him to come out.
“The neighbours saw him crawl to the window and pull the curtains closed.”
Started fire with aftershave
Three fire appliances, two police officers and an ambulance crew rushed to the scene and firefighters battered down the door.
They found Robertson conscious and carried him out of the flat before extinguishing the fire.
Watch commander Euan Cargill removed carpet, a bottle of aftershave, a bottle of vodka and a lighter from the room and said if the fire had been allowed to burn “for a few minutes more” it would likely have spread to the lower flat and roof space above.
After being treated at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Robertson was arrested and told officers: “I was having a wee heat … I had nae gas left”.
The damage was estimated at a cost of £147.
He admitted a charge of culpable and reckless conduct by setting fire to his carpet and causing damage to his flat in Bucksburn on June 18 last year.
Defence agent Chris Maitland said his client had an alcohol problem and had shown “remorse and regret”.
“He does accept that what he was doing was very dangerous and reckless especially when he was drunk,” the solicitor said. “And he was extremely drunk at the time.”
Sheriff Ian Wallace handed Robertson, now of Scotstown Road, Aberdeen, a 12-month supervision order.
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