A teenager who started the fire which burned a former Kirkcaldy school to the ground has avoided being sent to prison.
The 17-year-old previously admitted setting fire to paper and a box at Viewforth High School.
The fire took hold and spread, eventually gutting the building.
Fiscal depute Jamie Hilland told Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court previously the boy, who was 16 at the time and still cannot be named for legal reasons, caused more than £40,000 worth of damage to the derelict school.
The teenager appeared in the dock this week for sentencing.
Sheriff James Williamson told him it was a matter for which he could “comfortably go to prison”.
The sheriff instead sentenced him to undertake 150 hours of unpaid work and placed him under supervision for two years.
Sheriff Williamson told him if he breached the order he would be likely to end up in custody.
Locals watched as school burned
Defence lawyer Kerr Sneddon said his client has “genuine remorse” for what happened on August 15 2020.
The B-listed school, built in 1860, had been unused since 2015 and was surrounded by wire mesh fencing panels at the time.
The court heard previously the teenager set fire to printer paper, which had been found in a cupboard at the school.
He later admitted to the friends he set fire to a small box inside.
It was reported in court his friends were “concerned” by this.
By 7.25pm, neighbours could smell smoke and called 999.
Firefighters from across Fife rushed to the scene and it took until 2pm the following day before the final flames were extinguished.
After the fire had taken effect, the school roof collapsed and locals watched in sadness as the school bell tumbled to the ground.
Police quickly began inquiries and checked domestic CCTV footage at a number of nearby houses.
The boy was quickly identified and traced.
