A man who is accused of attempting to murder 11 people at a remote west Highland house started a fire after opening the gas valves on a kitchen cooker, a court has heard.
Kieran Ridley, 32, switched on the hobs before pouring petrol onto a refuse bin causing the flames to “take effect” in the property in Mallaig, Lochaber.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard yesterday how Ridley then left the house having locked the front and back doors.
Jurors were told that Ridley also locked some of the windows and that he did this whilst being “aware” there were 11 other people inside – including a two-year-old child.
Ridley denies the charge and has lodged a special defence claiming he was not “criminally responsible” for the fire “by reason of mental disorder”.
A joint minute of agreement was read aloud to jurors on the first day of the trial yesterday which stated that Ridley set fire to a bin within the kitchen area of the house at Mallaig Mhor, Mallaigvaig Road on Tuesday, October 27 2015.
The advocate depute said the incident took place some time between 11pm and 11.30pm while the houses’ residents were asleep inside.
He said it was agreed Ridley poured petrol onto the outside surface of the bin before lighting it, causing a fire to catch on and spread across the wooden cladding in the kitchen.
The court heard that before the fire was lit the accused opened the gas valves on the kitchen cooker and left the building after locking the windows and doors.
The advocate depute said police later detained Ridley at Cameron Avenue, Mallaig at 1.30am the following day.
The trial, before judge Craig Scott QC continues on Monday.