A hapless enforcer who set fire to himself while torching a car in Dundee has been dubbed “Scotland’s dumbest criminal” by a sheriff.
Darren Gibb was acting on the orders of gangland figures to set fire to three vehicles across Dundee in targeted attacks.
The crook caused £42,000 worth of damage to a Volkswagen Golf, a Toyota Aygo, an Audi A6 and a Mercedes-Benz.
Dramatic video footage played to Dundee Sheriff Court showed the ferocious flames that engulfed the cars, which were started with accelerant.
Residents in the Charleston Drive area overheard a “loud bang” in the early hours of September 19 last year.
Prosecutor Stephanie Paterson said: “One of the witnesses looked out the living room window and could see the silver Volkswagen Golf to be on fire.
“Two to three males in black were seen to run away.
“The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service attended to extinguished the blaze and deemed it to be wilful.”
Plastic on the back of the nearby Toyota Aygo was damaged as a result of the fire with scene examiners later discovering the melted remains of a jerry can within a black rucksack.
Gormless Gibb left the key fob to his partner’s home at the scene of the crime.
On October 24, the 33-year-old struck again after hiring a taxi to an address in Kirkton shortly after 4am.
Ms Paterson said: “At around 5.15am, the witness was woken by a loud bang at the front door and observed the silver Audi in the driveway on fire with flames emanating from the wheel arches.
“The words ‘let’s go Megan’ were spray painted on the ground.
“This related to the daughter of a neighbour.”
Gibb was caught on Ring doorbell footage two days later setting fire to the Audi on the same street.
He again used accelerant on the bonnet of the car, before running away in the direction of Old Glamis Road.
The desperate owner used a hose to try to put out the flames before fire crews and police descended on the scene.
Police arrested Gibb a short distance away and the firebug, who had burn marks on his hand, replied: “I’ve not done nothing at all.”
Gibb’s clothing smelled of petrol with the court hearing how part of his jacket had been melted.
Officers later searched his partner’s flat, where nozzles for jerry cans were discovered in a vacuum pack.
Perth prisoner Gibb pled guilty to three charges of wilful fireraising on two separate streets in Dundee.
Solicitor Mike Short said Gibb “chose to follow instructions” from more serious and organised criminals.
“He set fire to himself clearly in one of the videos,” Sheriff Tim Niven-Smith said.
“He’s running with one of his hands on fire because the accelerant has gone on himself – Scotland’s dumbest criminal.”
Sentence was deferred until next month for a report which will assess the potential for an extended sentence and a supervised release order.
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