An Arbroath man has admitted setting fire to his flat, fleeing to Glasgow and making concerning posts on Instagram about his behaviour.
HMP Perth inmate Richard Buick was brought to Dundee Sheriff Court where he pled guilty to wilful fireraising.
Earlier this year, police and firefighters were called to Buick’s home when a neighbour spotted smoke pouring from the building.
The 44-year-old made his way to Glasgow and was found after making concerning posts on Instagram.
Buick, who also admitted worrying rants at Job Centre staff and in a social media video directed at his father, is now behind bars awaiting sentence.
Fled flat during fire
Fiscal depute Andrew Brown explained unemployed Buick lived in a top floor flat in a block of four in Newton Avenue, Arbroath.
At 9am on March 12, a neighbour saw Buick leaving the property wearing a beanie hat and carrying a bag for life.
Shortly after, he became aware of black smoke billowing from the roof of the block.
Police and firefighters rushed to the street and the blaze was extinguished.
Buick’s flat was empty but two downstairs neighbours had to be evacuated.
At this point, Buick was making concerning text posts on Instagram, which were flagged to police by his own family.
One read: “Looking forward to fresh kill” with a sunglasses emoji.
Another stated: “If u with me RN, stay around, we going up” with the word “explosively” and the fire emoji.
A further post read: “This is how calm Sagittarius look right before they make a wildly impulsive decision,” accompanied by the devil and lightning emojis.
More posts showed that by lunchtime, he had made his way to the St Enoch’s Centre and Tolbooth pub in Glasgow.
Investigators at the flat quickly established the fire had been started wilfully and discovered a bullet tip among the debris.
Buick was arrested the following day.
In court, he admitted wilfully setting alight items including clothing or similar so the fire took effect and the flat was extensively smoke and fire-damaged.
Rants at Job Centre and towards father
In court, Buick also admitted offences of threatening or abusive behaviour and possession of a knife committed after being released on bail over the flat fire.
During visits to the Job Centre in Arbroath on April 3 and 4 this year, he admitted acting in an aggressive manner, shouting, swearing and making violent threats – including death threats – towards staff.
He also admitted posting a concerning video on social media on April 4 while at Arbroath railway station, in which he issued threats to his father while brandishing a knife.
In it, Buick proclaimed: “I’m away to come and rob all your money out the taxi.
“I’ll f***ing cleaver you on the head.”
When police traced him at the station, they seized his knife.
Buick told officers: “The knife was for sandwiches.”
Sheriff Gregor Murray deferred sentencing until December 17 and ordered background reports.
Solicitor Billy Rennie said Buick was not seeking bail.
For more local court content visit our page or join us on Facebook.
