A gang of men who burned down a historic Fife school have been placed on supervision.
Allan Alexander, Christopher Bauld and Kai Russell were told they had demonstrated a “high level of stupidity” due to their involvement in the fire at the former Inverkeithing Primary building.
The category C-listed school suffered extensive damage in the blaze in November 2018.
Footage of the fire on social media showed flames shooting into the sky.
Sheriff Charles Macnair QC told Alexander, Bauld, and Russell their actions would have had a significant effect on the community.
He said: “You and others wilfully set fire to the curtains, a cardboard box and hay and applied accelerant to the fire, and damage to the building and contents was as a result of the fire taking effect.
“It is clear in my view that none of you intended to destroy the building.
“This is a piece of high-level vandalism to a building through fire.
“You have to take responsibility for the result.
“This was an example of high-level stupidity by all three of you.
“While you all did significantly different things you are all equally culpable for what happened.”
‘We’ve got it lit’
Solicitors for the trio had expressed their clients’ remorse and extended apologies on their behalf to the local community and firefighters.
Dunfermline Sheriff Court had previously heard how the trio had met in West Lothian before travelling to Fife.
Bauld, of Elm Court in Blackburn, was seen trying to set fire to hay on the floor and a door.
Russell, of Aller Place in Livingston, was seen trying and failing to light a cardboard box filled with hay.
Witnesses reported either he or Alexander, of Kenilworth Rise in Livingston, said: “We’ve got it lit” before the group fled the scene in cars.
Major emergency response
Nine fire engines, two height appliances, a command unit and a water bowser were all rushed to the scene.
Firefighters considered soaking nearby homes in water to stop them catching light but decided against it.
One person was treated in hospital for breathing difficulties but no one was injured as a result.
All three men had previously admitted wilfully starting fires at the school – while acting with others – and applying accelerant, causing significant damage.
Alexander, 23, Bauld, 21, and Russell, 22, were all placed on a three-year supervision order.
In addition, they will each have to carry out 270 hours of unpaid work.
Inverkeithing Primary saved weeks before fire
The century-old school had been boarded up by the council and sold on to Glasgow based property developers for £400,000.
Since gaining planning permission to convert the listed building into flats, the premises’ valuation had risen to an estimated £550,000.
The Inverkeithing Primary building, which dates to 1913, had been saved from demolition just weeks before the fire, when an application to have it razed was withdrawn.
Councillors had approved the demolition plans, which would have allowed 28 homes to be built on the site but Scottish Government ministers stepped in.
