Nine years’ jail for man who firebombed Glasgow shop

A man who tried to throw a firebomb into a shop has been sentenced to nine years in prison for the attempted murder of the man who stopped him.

Archibald McKay, 46, from the Parkhouse area of Glasgow, was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on Thursday for the attempted murder of Rashid Ali, 34, on August 27, 2012.

Mr Ali managed to prevent the bottle of burning fuel from being thrown inside the shop where he worked on Saracen Street in Glasgow during the incident.

McKay appeared in court on a charge of assault to injury, danger of life and attempted murder with “an ignited bottle containing fuel”.

John Dunn, procurator fiscal of West of Scotland, said: “This was a despicable act of violence which potentially could have carried with it far more serious consequences but for the presence of mind of the victim, Mr Ali, in thwarting his attacker’s attempt to throw a bottle of burning fuel into his shop.

“The sentence imposed today properly reflects the views of the majority of people in our communities who want to live their lives free of the threat of violence, this type of conduct will not be tolerated.”