A woman who started a fire which caused flats in Glasgow to be evacuated has been jailed for five years according to bbc.co.uk.
Carmen Cairns, 28, admitted setting fire to a mattress in the stairwell of the flats in Dennistoun in July 2013.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard she set the blaze after falling out with her family. Her mother also lived at the flats and was among those who fled.
Passing sentence, temporary judge Kenneth Maciver told Cairns: “You have pleaded guilty to a serious crime.”
‘Evil crime’
The judge added: “Fire raising in residential properties often has tragic consequences. This court has to send out a message and the message must be loud and clear.
“Fire raising is a mindless, dangerous and evil crime which must be visited with a custodial sentence.”
The court heard that Cairns suffers from two personality disorders which prevented her from acting in a rational manner.
The court also heard that her family had forgiven her for starting the fire.
Items left in common areas of blocks of flats are a potential arson risk and we recommend that a clear corridor policy is introduced with regular management inspections to ensure that no issues arise. This would be picked up in our fire risk assessment and advice given.