A jilted lover who torched a woman’s home with petrol after she went back to her husband was jailed today – but she told the judge she forgives the firestarter.
Colin Forbes, 52, of Eday Square, Mastrick, told his victim a body bag would be needed, before arriving at her house with petrol in a jerry can and starting a blaze.
Forbes – a first-time offender – sent the woman threatening message before driving to petrol station, filling up a can, and setting fire to the front door of her terraced home.
The criminal was told by a judge that he had suffered “what might be described as a momentary loss of reason”.
Dramatic intervention
Lord Stuart jailed Forbes for 32 months – and then there was a surprising twist when he considered what would happen to Forbes after jail.
Usually, offenders in such cases cannot go near their victim for years – but a dramatic intervention made this case different.
For Forbes’ victim wrote to the court saying she still loved him and wanted their relationship to continue.
Taking that into account, the judge declined to make a non-harassment order.
‘Going back to my husband’
The incident occurred on March 16 2024.
The case originally called at The High Court in Edinburgh before today’s sentencing hearing at the The High Court in Stirling, during which the court heard that Forbes and the woman had been together for a year.
But then things changed when her husband was released from a seven-year jail sentence – and she told Forbes she was going back to him.
Forbes sent the woman messages claiming he had been made a fool of and telling her to “check her house insurance”.
‘Body bag needed’
He also threatened to deface her house with “something white” and made a number of references to causing injury.
In one message he wrote: “Body bag for one needed. Not me.”
Forbes drove to a garage and was caught on CCTV about 9.25 pm filling the can.
Fifteen minutes later, he set the fire at the property in Deveron Road, Mastrick, before walking back to his car, and wiping his hands, and driving away.
He was said to have “appeared calm” as he left the scene.
Firefighters were called and put out the fire.
No one was in the property at the time.
Police detained Forbes and he told officers that he knew what it would be about because a friend called him to say the house had been “petrol bombed”.
Prosecutor Stewart Ronnie said the blaze had caused £30,000 of damage to the building and £10,000 damage to the property.
Forbes appeared for sentence by video link from prison after pleading guilty last month to domestically-aggravated wilful fire raising.
Advocate Andrew Crosbie, defending, said Forbes had previously had a stable and pro-social life, and steady employment.
‘Bruised ego’
Mr Crosbie said: “He finds himself in a position where he has upended his life for the sake of a bruised ego.
“He has thrown it all away for the sake of a fit of pique.
“I am hesitant to use the expression ‘crime of passion’.”
He added: “It’s his very good fortune the complainer has been as magnanimous as she has been.
“She forgave him and continues to forgive him and wishes him to be part of her life.
“She wants him back, but is under no illusions that can’t happen for a period of time.”
‘Deliberate and pre-meditated’
Lord Stuart told Forbes the case involved “very significant consequences, from what might be described as a momentary loss of reason”.
He said: “Your actions, while they may have been triggered by the ending of your relationship, were clearly deliberate and premeditated.
“Whilst no actual harm to humans was suffered, there was clearly potential for serious personal harm and there’s no suggestion you took any steps to ensure otherwise.”