A Kirkhill teenager who set fire to a bale of straw in a barn which was later badly damaged by fire will be sentenced on May 4.
William Williamson, 18, of Albany Place, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday and admitted wilfully setting fire to the straw bale at Bruaich Farm, Kiltarlity on the evening of August 2, 2015, when he was only 16.
Sentence was deferred for a background report until May 4.
Fiscal depute Roderick Urquhart said: “This crime only came to light during the investigation into a significant fire at the farm, which the available evidence suggests was accidental.
“There were two Dutch barns used for holding deadstock and at the time of this incident one of the barns contained 275 bales of straw.
“An Inverness solicitor was driving past the farm with his teenage son when they saw smoke and two young men apparently trying to hide from the car.
“His son recognised one of them as Williamson with whom he had played shinty years earlier. They raised the alarm.”
Mr Urquhart said that the other boy, Matthew Dicks was traced and interviewed by police. “He explained the accidental circumstances of the conflagration.
“They had entered the barn and Dicks climbed up on to the bales which were stacked four high. Williamson stayed down below.
“The two of them were jumping around when Williamson dared Dicks to jump down. When Dicks declined, Williamson said: ‘If you don’t do this jump, I’m going to set it on fire.’ He then set light to one of the bales.
“Then Williamson put out the fire ‘straight away.’ ” Mr Urquhart said.
