A fireraising couple from Fife, who started an inferno that led to the destruction of a £2million block of flats and endangered the lives of eight residents, were jailed for a total of nearly 10 years.
Jamie Morrison, 34, and Chloe Arnott, 31, set the fire in Ms Arnott’s former partner’s empty top floor flat in the block in Francis Street, Lochgelly, then left without telling anyone.
A judge praised a heroic resident alerted by “loud cracking” who, despite his own terror, banged on the doors of every other flat in the three-storey block to alert his neighbours.
Morrison, who already had a criminal record for fire-raising, was jailed for 64 months and Arnott for 52 months.
‘Good fortune’ no-one was hurt
Judge Fiona Tait told the pair: “You lit a piece of paper with a cigarette lighter and immediately left the building.
“You didn’t attempt to alert the residents to the fire.
“Fortunately an adjoining neighbour heard a loud crackling noise coming from the flat and after his wall became hot he realised there was a fire.
“Despite his panic and as a pane of glass in the door started to shatter, he had the courage and presence of mind to knock on the doors of all of the flats to tell the occupants to leave.”
Judge Tait said there were 12 people living in the 12-flat block and eight of them were present when the fire started.
She said: “By good fortune, no-one was hurt.
“This was a serious offence to the danger of life of the occupants of the flats and resulted in significant cost.
“A custodial sentence is the only appropriate disposal.”
The wrecked building had to be torn down by Fife Council.
Fire started after afternoon drinking
Morrison and Arnott, both of Glenrothes, appeared for sentence at the High Court in Stirling after pleading guilty in July to wilful fireraising to the endangerment of life
They had originally been charged with attempted murder.
The court heard the pair had started the fire in the top floor flat of Arnott’s former partner, Kevin Storrar.
Prosecutor Brian Gill KC confirmed they were in a relationship at the time.
Arnott had been living with her former partner Mr Storrar in his top floor flat in Francis Street until the couple split in 2023.
Morrison and Arnott spent the afternoon of October 23 that year drinking alcohol at a friend’s home in Lochgelly.
At about 6.20pm, they were spotted by a resident on the landing outside Mr Storrar’s flat.
Later, they were seen inside the flat, seemingly gathering piles of clothing.
While inside, they lit a piece of paper using a cigarette lighter.
Drugs to blame
Solicitor-advocate Billy Lavelle, for Morrison, said: “He accepts he lit this piece of paper.
“He thought he had stamped on it to put it out.
“Clearly he was wrong and the consequences were serious.
“He wishes to apologise to the residents for what happened.”
Michael Anderson KC, for Arnott, said his client had accepted art and part guilt for the fireraising.
He said: “The devastating consequences of the fire were not foreseen.
“Drug and alcohol addiction has dogged her life and this offence occurred when she was severely under the influence of addictive substances.”
Arnott was also made subject to a non-harassment order not to contact Kevin Storrar for eight years.
£2.1 million cost of blaze
The court heard multiple fire crews used height appliances to reach the flames on the top floor and worked through the night to deal with the blaze.
After the fireraising, Arnott and Morrison returned to their friend’s flat.
During the evening, Morrison confessed to lighting the paper but said he did not think the fire would engulf the building.
The pair were later arrested but refused to be interviewed.
They also refused to have their hands check for traces of accelerants.
The court heard the cost to Fife Council to demolish the building was more than £78,000.
There were further indirect costs for the local authority as a result of road closures and emergency gas work and the cost of rebuilding has been put at £2.1million.
Convictions welcomed
Detective Inspector Kieran Marsh of Police Scotland said: “This was a reckless act that has had huge consequences for the other residents of the building, as well as the local community.
“The pair had a complete disregard for others that could have been seriously injured by their actions.
“It’s thanks to the work of officers, our partners at the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and the help of the community, we were able to bring them to justice.”
Moira Orr, who leads on homicide and major crime for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, said: “This was an extremely reckless act that could have had devastating consequences had it not been for the swift actions of a neighbour.
“Instead of alerting residents to the fire taking hold, Morrison and Arnott simply left the property without raising the alarm.
“They will now have to face the consequences of their dangerous actions, and I hope this conviction brings some comfort to those affected by their offending.”
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