jrobertson
16-06-09, 02:16 PM
news.bbc.co.uk - BBC News - 16-Jun-09
Tyre manager set fire to centre (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/8102980.stm)
An Edinburgh tyre centre manager set fire to his workplace, causing a massive blaze, because he feared he was to be sacked, a court has heard.
Colin McReadie, 22, let himself into the Budget Tyre Auto Centre in Piershill Place after hours and set fire to tyres using a gas torch.
He then went to a pub, leaving the fire to cause £700,000 of damage.
McReadie pled guilty at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Tuesday to wilfully setting fire to tyres at the centre.
Sheriff Neil Mackinnon allowed McReadie to remain on bail until he is sentenced next month after background reports.
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/v3/start_quote_rb.gif Once inside he made his way over to a rack of tyres within the building and used a gas torch to set those tyres on fire http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/v3/end_quote_rb.gif
Aidan Higgins
Fiscal depute
The court was told McReadie had been working at the centre for three months and had been promoted to branch manager just two weeks before the incident last September.
But there had been "a number of problems" with his work, said fiscal depute Aidan Higgins, prosecuting.
On the day of the blaze, McReadie failed to turn up for work and was asked to attend the following day for a meeting about his future in the company.
Later that night before the meeting, on 29 September, McCreadie called friends and asked them to pick him up from a pub at 2200 BST and drive him to the tyre centre.
When they arrived at the tyre centre, McReadie used his key fob to deactivate the alarm and went inside the premises.
"Once inside he made his way over to a rack of tyres within the building and used a gas torch to set those tyres on fire," said Mr Higgins.
"He then reset the alarm to the premises and, along with his two associates, went back to the pub."
'Real danger'
A passing dog walker called the fire service after hearing the fire alarm and seeing smoke coming from the roof of the building.
The prosecutor said fire fighters arrived to find the tyre centre "engulfed" in flames, and the glass doors had been blown out.
Suspicion fell on McReadie after police viewed CCTV footage from the pub.
"Immediately before the commission of the offence (McReadie) feared that he was to be sacked imminently," said Mr Higgins.
Mr Higgins said there had been "real danger" of an explosion at the premises and said fire fighters had to be called back for fear the building would collapse.
He said the total damage caused to the building, machinery and stock was £701,626 and the building was "effectively destroyed".
McReadie's solicitor Stuart Carson said the four other employees working at the tyre centre had been relocated to other premises in the city.
-- end of article -------------------
That's where I use to get my tyres replaced. :o
Tyre manager set fire to centre (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/8102980.stm)
An Edinburgh tyre centre manager set fire to his workplace, causing a massive blaze, because he feared he was to be sacked, a court has heard.
Colin McReadie, 22, let himself into the Budget Tyre Auto Centre in Piershill Place after hours and set fire to tyres using a gas torch.
He then went to a pub, leaving the fire to cause £700,000 of damage.
McReadie pled guilty at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Tuesday to wilfully setting fire to tyres at the centre.
Sheriff Neil Mackinnon allowed McReadie to remain on bail until he is sentenced next month after background reports.
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/v3/start_quote_rb.gif Once inside he made his way over to a rack of tyres within the building and used a gas torch to set those tyres on fire http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/v3/end_quote_rb.gif
Aidan Higgins
Fiscal depute
The court was told McReadie had been working at the centre for three months and had been promoted to branch manager just two weeks before the incident last September.
But there had been "a number of problems" with his work, said fiscal depute Aidan Higgins, prosecuting.
On the day of the blaze, McReadie failed to turn up for work and was asked to attend the following day for a meeting about his future in the company.
Later that night before the meeting, on 29 September, McCreadie called friends and asked them to pick him up from a pub at 2200 BST and drive him to the tyre centre.
When they arrived at the tyre centre, McReadie used his key fob to deactivate the alarm and went inside the premises.
"Once inside he made his way over to a rack of tyres within the building and used a gas torch to set those tyres on fire," said Mr Higgins.
"He then reset the alarm to the premises and, along with his two associates, went back to the pub."
'Real danger'
A passing dog walker called the fire service after hearing the fire alarm and seeing smoke coming from the roof of the building.
The prosecutor said fire fighters arrived to find the tyre centre "engulfed" in flames, and the glass doors had been blown out.
Suspicion fell on McReadie after police viewed CCTV footage from the pub.
"Immediately before the commission of the offence (McReadie) feared that he was to be sacked imminently," said Mr Higgins.
Mr Higgins said there had been "real danger" of an explosion at the premises and said fire fighters had to be called back for fear the building would collapse.
He said the total damage caused to the building, machinery and stock was £701,626 and the building was "effectively destroyed".
McReadie's solicitor Stuart Carson said the four other employees working at the tyre centre had been relocated to other premises in the city.
-- end of article -------------------
That's where I use to get my tyres replaced. :o