A sacked labourer sent a sinister text about burning his old boss on a fire before torching a caravan on her land.
Scott Finnie had been hired by the woman to carry out work on her croft near Buckie but was let go after she learned of his involvement with police as well as from a former employer, who believed he was dangerous.
Finnie – who is currently serving a custodial sentence after he flew drones illegally around Aberdeen Airport – took the sacking badly and sent a text to his partner saying: “I’ll burn her on the fire”.
On September 12 last year Finnie’s employer looked out of her window to see a static caravan on fire, before spotting a male figure in dark clothes walking into the woods.
Finnie, 36, appeared from custody at Inverness Sheriff Court to admit a single charge of wilful fireraising in relation to the incident.
Fiscal depute Susan Love told the court that Finnie had initially answered a Gumtree advertisement looking for a labourer to work at the isolated croft near Buckie.
After providing both character and employment references he was given the role and began to spend two nights a week camping at the property, where he helped tend to the land.
Crofter fired ‘dangerous’ employee
But his boss began to have concerns and contacted a previous employer, who revealed that Finnie had a history of police involvement and divulged that he “believed him to be dangerous”.
As a result, the woman told Finnie he was no longer welcome at her property and told him to collect his belongings and leave.
Finnie then called her a “rich b*tch” and told her: “I can roam where I want in Scotland.”
Finnie later contacted his partner explaining he planned to collect his stuff and threatened to kill his former employer if she contacted police about him
One message read: “I’ll burn her on the fire.”
At around 11.20pm on September 12 the woman was “alerted by her dogs barking and jumping at the living room window,” Ms Love said.
“Looking out she could see the caravan was on fire and contacted the fire service.”
The croft owner guessed that Finnie was responsible for the blaze, which was close to a shed which housed Shetland ponies, and shouted words to the effect of “Scott Finnie, I have called the police and the fire to come out”.
“When she did so she observed a male figure wearing dark clothing walking away from the property and into the wood,” Ms Love said.
Fire crews attended and one fire service worker parked near the scene saw a man he later identified as Finnie walking away in a “distressed” and “nervous” state.
The blaze was brought under control with the fire service being stood down around 2.20am the next day.
The croft owner relayed her suspicions to police but a search for Finnie proved fruitless.
Fireraiser’s admission to partner
Finnie returned to his partner’s home later that day and appeared “upset”.
“He told her that he had set fire to the caravan by setting a bed on fire,” Ms Love told Sheriff Eilidh MacDonald, adding: “He also made mention of a gas canister blowing up within.”
Finnie was later traced, arrested cautioned and charged.
His solicitor, Grant Daglish, told the court that Finnie has a diagnosis of autism.
Sheriff MacDonald called for presentencing reports and also asked for an estimate of the cost of the damage, noting: “There’s no caravan left.”
She warned Finnie, whose address was given as a prisoner in Edinburgh: “It merits a custodial sentence Mr Finnie, you have to be aware of that.”
The case will call again at the end of the month.
