Fire 'idiot' jailed after blaze trapped families in Paisley flats

dailyrecord.co.uk:

An ‘idiot’ who sparked fears of a similar fire which killed three children after starting a blaze has been jailed for three years - writes Grant McCabe.Andrew Porter, 25, set alight rubbish inside the close in Glencairn Road, Paisley, on April 14, 2022.

The building was engulfed with thick smoke leaving those inside trapped and unable to escape out their front doors.One mum contacted a relative watching her daughter fearing she would never see her again.The property was just 200 yards away from a cottage flat in the town’s Renfrew Road where Fiona Gibson, 12, as well as her brothers Alexander, eight, and Philip, five, died in a fatal fire in June 2020.A judge heard how the residents were aware of that which “added to their fear” during this incident.Renfrewshire Live, the new free app dedicated to bringing you around the clock breaking news, is now available to download.Powered by the Paisley Daily Express, Renfrewshire Live is your go-to source for news, features and sport with live coverage provided direct to the app, seven days a week.The dedicated team of experienced journalists, responsible for the publication of the award-winning Express, will focus on breaking news, day and night, across Renfrewshire’s towns and villages.There is also a dedicated St Mirren section that will follow every kick of the ball with the Buddies. Available on both Android and Apple.

D ownload here: smarturl.it/RenfrewLiveSocial Porter yesterday appeared via video-link for sentencing at the High Court in Glasgow.

He had earlier pleaded guilty to two charges of wilful fire-raising - one in connection with the Glencairn Road blaze and also torching a wheelie bin nearby.Lady Stacey told him: “What you did was serious.