Published: Wednesday, 3rd October, 2007 09:40
I'm a pest to the people of Clydebank
By Court Reporter
Print Article
FIRESTARTER: William Hopkirk
Drinker almost torched supermarket
A TOWN drunkard almost set a supermarket ablaze “for a laugh”.
Pest William Hopkirk decided to set fire to 12 container loads of cardboard next to the Somerfield store after they refused to sell the 49-year-old any more drink.
But the aggrieved boozer’s fire retaliation was caught in time and fortunately only the cardboard went up in smoke.
Hopkirk, who has a lengthy criminal record, appeared before Dumbarton Sheriff Court on Thursday after admitting wilful fire raising at the Clydebank East store on May 18 this year.
Fiscal depute Gillian Climie told the court that the alarm was raise by a customer who spotted the smoke as she left the Hamilton Terrace outlet.
Security guards then evacuated the premises before unsuccessfully trying to put out the fire.
The fire brigade arrived a short time later and extinguished the blaze.
Hopkirk was identified from CCTV footage but originally denied having anything to do with the lunchtime fire, which caused £3,600 worth of damage.
He sat and laughed as the court heard how he set the fire for fun.
Hopkirk also admitted breaching the peace outside RS McColl in Sylvania Way, Clydebank on April 6 this year.
Ms Climie said: “He was challenged by shop staff who suspected he may have stolen something and he was shouting, ‘it’s ridiculous you can’t even knock out of shops these days’.”
A not guilty plea was accepted for a theft charge on the same day.
Lawyer Scott Adair said that despite jail being the obvious option it would only be a quick fix for the people that Hopkirk annoys.
He said: “He knows he is a pest to the people of Clydebank, he admits that himself.
“Sending him to custody today will take him off the streets, and relieve the Clydebank parishioners of his misbehaving for a short time, but will not entirely address the problems he continues to have.”
Looking at his record, which spans decades, Sheriff Alasdair Oag warned Hopkirk: “The court’s patience will soon be at an end.
“You have to do something about your life style otherwise you will end up in prison for long periods or end up killing yourself with alcohol.”
Hopkirk, of 11D Newshot Court, was sentenced to 18 months probation and replied “lovely” when the sheriff also imposed 150 hours of unpaid work.
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