A man who claimed he was “ill with love” for his former partner endangered her life by starting a blaze at her home, a court has heard.
Michal Morawski, 32, told the woman that there was “no chance” she’d be able to leave her property in Fraserburgh, as he was going to set fire to it.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard on Thursday how Morawski put the ex-partner’s life in danger in the early hours of April 27 2023.
Prosecutor Lorraine Glancy KC told judge David Young KC how the pair had been in a relationship and had split amicably.
She said that in the hours before the fire took hold, Morawski sent her messages in which he declared he was “ill with love” for her.
The court heard how at about 12.45am, she could hear the letterbox of her home in Glover Close flapping and the sound of liquid being poured through it.
Front door was on fire
Judge Young heard how she got up and smelled what she described as being barbecue lighting fluid which caused her to clean it up.
Ms Glancy said that Morawski was outside – he then started banging the windows of her home and told her: “I’m going to burn the house, there will be no chance you will leave as I am going to burn the house.”
The court heard that the woman was so concerned by this, she put buckets of water at the door.
Ms Glancy said that at 3.20am that morning, Morawski carried out his threat.
She added: “She was awoken by the sound of her smoke alarm. On getting out of bed she discovered an established fire at her front door.
“She immediately called the emergency services before extinguishing the fire with the buckets of water that she had placed there earlier.
“The police attended quickly and on arrival the front door area had signs of burning with ash smouldering on the front doorstep.
Fire had ‘potential for fatality’
“The complainer informed the officers of her earlier interactions with the accused and that he had threatened to burn the house down and that he had already poured flammable liquid through the front door earlier in the morning.
“The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service attended and noted fire damage to the front door and surround as well as the smell of fuel from the door area. The fire had been extinguished prior to their arrival.
“They conducted safety checks for hot spots to ensure the fire did not ignite again. The fire had been started deliberately; there was a smell of petrol and no other ignition source at the front door.
“They opined that had the complainer not placed water at the door there was the potential for a fatality.
“When they spoke to the complainer she had black soot on her face and they recommended she seek medical treatment.”
The story emerged after Morawski, also of Fraserburgh, pleaded guilty to a charge of wilful fire-raising, assault and placing his ex’s life in danger.
On Thursday, Ms Glancy told the court of how the pair had been exchanging messages in the hours leading up the incident.
‘He struggled with the break up’
She said: “When they broke up, they maintained a friendship. Between the evening of 26 April 2023 and the early hours of 27 April 2023 the two had been exchanging messages.
“These started amicably but in the course of the exchange the conversation turned to their former relationship and the accused declared that he was ill with love for the complainer.
“This then developed into the accused sending messages about letting go and asking (the complainer) to block him, ignore him and end the friendship.”
The court heard that police tracked Morawski to his then-home address at Kent Gardens in Fraserburgh.
He was later interviewed and told officers that he couldn’t remember anything after 11.30pm that night due to the amount of alcohol that he had drunk.
Defence advocate Wendy Culross said her client had been suffering from poor mental health at the time of the incident.
She added: “He struggled with the break up.”
Ms Culross said that Morawski had sought help for his mental health and had made “significant” steps to improve it.
She added: “He describes a change in his thinking which has significantly changed his outlook. His mental health has very much improved.”
Judge Young deferred sentence on Morawski to obtain reports about his background.
He told the accused: “You have pleaded guilty to a very serious matter.”
Morawski will be sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on August 7 2024.