A court has heard the remarkable account of the night a Fife man scaled the outside of a house, broke in through a skylight, woke the occupants by running around the attic and then started a blaze in a bedroom before leaping out a window.
Calum Paterson, 26, had taken an “unknown quantity” of MDMA before carrying out the bizarre stunt at a house owned by complete strangers.
Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard he first shinned up a drainpipe on to the roof of a house in Dunfermline’s Maitland Street.
He then found a skylight that offered access to an attic and forced his way in – prompting his own friend who had been urging him to get down to call police.
Fiscal depute Beverly Adam told the court: “The occupants were asleep in the front bedroom but were awoken by the disturbance of the accused walking in the attic. They heard him climb down to the upper hallway.
“He was confronted by the male occupant while the female hid in bed. He appeared incoherent and was escorted to the front door and told to leave.
“The accused then locked the door and took possession of the door keys before running to an upstairs bedroom.
“He then set alight a book with a gas lighter before slamming the door shut.”
Police rushed to the scene and found a fire in the middle of the room. One officer tried to chase Paterson but he escaped through a window before being apprehended nearby.
Paterson, 26, of Erskine Brae, Culross, pleaded guilty on indictment to charges of behaving in a threatening and abusive manner, wilful fireraising and resisting arrest.
The offences were committed on September 27 last year.
Sheriff Jamie Gilchrist QC deferred sentence for social work background reports.
Paterson was released on bail meantime.
