An Aberdeen man who torched his ex-lover’s home in a jealous rage causing £340,000 worth of damage has been jailed for more than a year.
James Gallacher was “heavily intoxicated” when he lit a fire that ripped through the four-bedroom Bucksburn house, destroying the family’s most treasured possessions and memories.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard how Gallacher entered his former partner’s home in a fury when he discovered she had gone on holiday without him.
He then poured lighter fluid on her bed and ignited it.
As the fire raged, neighbours were roused by the sound of the windows exploding and looked out to see flames engulfing the building.
Sheriff Morag McLaughlin told Gallacher, who has struggled with alcohol addiction for years, that no sentence other than imprisonment could show “the court and society’s displeasure”.
Jailing Gallacher for 16 months, the sheriff stated: “People could have been hurt.”
After the sentencing, the victim’s daughter shared her reaction with The Press and Journal.
She told The P&J: “While we hope the sentencing provides [Gallacher] the opportunity to receive the support and treatment he desperately needs, it’s important to acknowledge that his struggles with alcoholism and mental health are not excuses for the harm he caused.
“Everyone deserves help, but no one has the right to inflict pain on others. We hope this brings some measure of closure and healing for all involved.
“I’m glad my mum’s voice was heard. She is at peace and rebuilding her life.”
Sleeping neighbour wakes to sound of glass smashing and sight of flames
Fiscal depute Rebecca Thompson had told the court earlier that, when the couple’s relationship broke down late last year, Gallacher’s former partner gave him three hours to remove his belongings from the house.
At the time, unknown to the woman, Gallacher took a spare key to her Rowett South Road property.
On October 20 last year, the woman took her child on holiday to the north of England, which Gallacher learned through a relative.
Around 2.30am the following morning, a neighbour was awoken by the sound of glass smashing and looked outside to see flames coming from a bedroom window of the stricken house.
Evidence including lighter fluid bottle pointed to ‘willful’ act
Firefighters arrived after the fierce flames had taken hold on the upper floor of the building and discovered a rear door was unlocked.
Upon entry, they found a bottle of lighter fluid near the unsecured door and a gas cylinder on the living room floor.
Thankfully, no one was found inside.
After fire crews extinguished the blaze, they identified the upper front bedroom as the place where the fire had started.
They believed an accelerant may have been used “due to the developed stage of the fire”.
No natural cause was determined so the fire was assessed as “willful in nature”.
The police called Gallacher’s former partner and informed her there had been a fire at her home.
It was established that Gallacher may have had a set of keys for the property and could have been in the house at the time of the fire.
Officers attended Gallacher’s residence to carry out a welfare check and upon speaking with the police, he immediately admitted to starting the fire.
He cited “relationship problems” and issues relating to his mental health as being the motive.
“The accused advised that he knew the complainer would be away from home and that no one would get hurt,” Ms Thompson told the court.
“His admissions and remarks were caught on a police constable’s body-worn video camera.”
The insurance company for the property gave an updated estimate that the damage was in the region of £340,000.
Fire tore through child’s playroom
In the dock, Gallacher pled guilty to one charge of willfully setting fire to a bed, which spread to the rest of the house.
The fire tore through many of the rooms in the home, including a playroom used by the woman’s youngest daughter.
The family has been forced to live in hotels and temporary accommodation for almost 12 months, with no guarantee the house will be fully repaired by the end of this year.
In a cruel twist of fate, the woman’s daughter revealed that her mum’s family photographs and mementos were destroyed in the fire, while a kit bag belonging to Gallacher that contained his treasured possessions was unscathed.
Defence solicitor Neil McRobert conceded that his client’s actions had caused “significant damage” of “significant value”.
He added that, just before his client’s relationship had started with the complainer in the case, Gallacher began struggling with his mental health.
“My assessment is that he turned to alcohol frequently to deal with those issues,” the solicitor said, adding his client was “highly intoxicated during the commission of the offence.”
Mr McRobert said that when Gallacher found out his former partner intended to go on holiday with someone else, he became “angry and jealous” and went to the woman’s house using a key he had taken and started the blaze.
“He accepts the seriousness of the offence,” Mr McRobert told the court.
“Mr Gallacher also acknowledges the impact that this has had on the victim and her family. It is not lost on him.”
‘Devastating consequences for all involved’
Sheriff McLaughlin told Gallacher she had given “anxious consideration” to what sentence to impose upon him.
“You have no previous convictions and have led a productive life, but I cannot see a solution or resolution to this other than a custodial sentence to show the court and society’s displeasure towards this offence.”
The sheriff added: “It’s such a dangerous thing to set a fire. People could have been hurt. It has also had devastating consequences for all involved.”
Sheriff McLaughlin sentenced Gallacher, of Wellheads Avenue, Aberdeen, to 16 months in prison.
She also imposed a non-harassment order, banning Gallacher from approaching his former partner for two years.
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