An East Neuk man burned down a building at a Fife hospital while trying to keep warm when he was discharged in the early hours of the morning.
Craig Thomson used a bag to start the fire, which quickly took hold of the security booth.
The 8x3ft building was next to the hospital’s new orthopaedic centre.
Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard the 27-year-old was unable to get home to St Monans after being released from the emergency department.
Fiscal depute Douglas Thomson said the accused later told police it was an accident.
CCTV footage
The prosecutor said Thomson attended hospital in relation to an issue with his leg and refused to leave following treatment, so police arrived to persuade him to wait outside for a lift.
At about 5.30am the emergency services dealt with a fire in the security booth.
The fiscal said: “Police attended at the locus and observed the charred remains of the security booth.
“They thereafter reviewed the hospital CCTV, which showed the accused sitting outside the admission unit, before slowly making his way towards the security booth.
“At about 3.30am, he can be seen entering the security booth and remains within for some time.
“At about 5.07am the door of the security booth opens and smoke can be seen coming from within.
“The accused can be seen exiting the booth before going back for some time.
“Over the next few minutes more and more smoke can be seen coming from the booth until flames take hold.
“At this time, the accused walks off and leaves the area.”
Tried to extinguish blaze
Thomson later told police he had “sought refuge in the booth at the hospital to keep warm until he could reach his mum for a lift home.”
He said he had used a lighter and a carrier bag to set the fire but it had taken hold of the booth, adding: “I am sorry, it was an accident.”
Thomson, of Johnstone’s Court, admitted culpable and reckless fireraising on April 4 last year.
Solicitor Katie Stewart, defending, said: “It’s his position that it was indeed an accident.
“He had attended at A&E late in the evening due to an injury.
“He did not have a mobile phone and was unable to call his mother to collect him.
“Due to the time public transport was not running.
“He had grown cold and attempted to take refuge in the security booth.
“He set fire to a plastic bag in the hopes of gaining some warmth.
“He left the booth but returned to try and put it out.
“It was his recollection he went into the hospital but as he is on CCTV leaving the area, he accepts this.”
Sheriff Craig McSherry jailed Thomson for 10 months.
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