A fire-starter who sparked a half-a-million pound blaze at Dundee docks is being sent back before the sheriff who originally dealt with the case so he can decide what action will be taken over the 25-year-old’s failure to comply with a court order.
Dean Yeats destroyed a sewage pumping station at Dundee’s King George V wharf when he discarded a lit piece of paper in February last year.
Minutes before the major blaze broke out, Yeats was seen standing with a bottle of Buckfast in his hand.
Firefighters who arrived at the scene found him just feet from the growing inferno and had to pull him away as he threw items including paving slabs and bottles into the flames.
The accused, of Montrose Road, Forfar, told onlookers: “It was me – I didn’t mean it,” as the pumping station was completely destroyed at an estimated loss of £550,000.
Yeats previously admitted culpable and reckless fire-raising at Dundee Sheriff Court.
He subsequently appeared at Forfar Sheriff Court in relation to other matters, including a breach of the community payback order he was given.
At the latest calling, before Sheriff Gregor Murray in Forfar on Thursday, defence solicitor Nick Markowski said Yeats had been identified as suffering from drug-induced psychosis.
“He is not drinking. There is still cannabis misuse but not to the same extent as there was previously,” the solicitor added.
“The positives in the report before the court are that he is not offending, although he is not engaging to the full extent that he should be.”
Sheriff Murray told Yeats: “The report I have here says you recognise you need help, but equally you are not able to take advantage of the help that has been provided.
“The sheriff in Dundee knows a lot more about this case than I do and I will defer sentence until September before him in Dundee.
“I will grant you bail – don’t do anything silly meantime.”
