Jailed for threats to set fire to health officer

A Dunfermline man, who repeatedly threatened to pour petrol over his mental health officer and set fire to her, has been jailed.

Heroin addict Lee Sutherland (25), of Broomhead Drive, appeared to blame the woman for his problems.

He admitted that on 10th June at his home he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner by threatening to douse a woman and set fire to her.

The background was an issue over access to his children, Dunfermline Sheriff Court was told.

He also admitted that on 16th June at the Co-operative store, Shamrock Street, he stole a quantity of alcohol.

Depute fiscal Azrah Yousaf said the accused is the father of twins born in 2014 and he is separated from the mother.

At the time of the offence there had also been complaints from Sutherland’s neighbours about his anti-social behaviour.

There was social work involvement with the family and his former partner called Sutherland to say she was having access to her children stopped.

Sutherland blamed his mental health officer saying, “If I’m not getting to see my kids I’m going to set her on fire.”

He later repeated the threat to his ex-partner and others, including another a male mental health officer and a neighbour.

Sutherland also went into precise detail about his plan to store petrol in his flat, get the worker on her own, douse her with the petrol and set fire to her.

He said if she wanted to escape she would have to jump off the balcony of his ninth-floor flat.

The police were made aware of the threats and Sutherland was detained.

Defence solicitor Lynsay Magro said, “He accepts that these were threats that would have been extremely distressing to the worker but he had no intention to carry out the threats he made.”

Sheriff Craig McSherry jailed Sutherland for 12 months.