A TEENAGER who set a fire next to a diesel tank at the back of a major Clydebank business was warned by a friend it was “stupid”.

Colin Mcomish, of Watchmeal Crescent, Faifley, used a lighter to set fire to an air conditioning unit at the back of painting contractors Baxter & Gillespie Ltd, which employs 200 people.

The 18-year-old previously pleaded guilty to setting the fire on October 19, 2016 at the Auld Street, Dalmuir, business.

His not guilty pleas were accepted to setting fire to tyres and rubbish damaging the building on October 17 and to setting fire to wood and rubbish in a skip at Williams Windows in Beardmore Way the same day.

Baxter & Gillepsie warned others against setting fires which risk businesses and lives as they have spent thousands on security precautions. The incident was one of three fires lit at the firm that week, with one next to the gas line. Nobody was in the building at the time of the fires.

At Dumbarton Sheriff Court last week, depute fiscal Scott Simpson said Mcomish was walking with someone else towards Dalmuir train station in search of particular friends.

He said: “Mr Mcomish said to the other person he wanted to start a fire and the other person said no.

“He persisted and the other said, ‘No, that’s stupid – you will get caught’.”

Mcomish went to the back of the business and took a lighter and set fire to the air conditioning unit. Police later identified him as responsible and, when they asked him if he had set the fire in interview, he said “yeah”.

The crown could offer no images of the scene and said only that the damage to the unit was £1,500. But Mr Simpson added that it was next to a 2,500-litre diesel tank.

The fire service had said it would take considerable temperatures to set it on fire and there was no risk.

Defence solicitor Kenny Clark said Mcomish accepted “sole, exclusive responsibility for this act” and had admitted to social workers that it could have been quite serious.

He said: “He has not been able to shed much light into why he did this, other than to say an act of stupidity.”

Sheriff William Gallacher said he was unsure why the case hasn’t been sent to a higher court, and he said the fact that there were no people in the business at the time likely kept Mcomish from prison.

He blasted: “This is an incredibly stupid thing and dangerous thing you did. I cannot imagine the significant damage but I don’t think for a second you thought through what could have happened.

“I don’t think it’s necessary to send you to custody but I think the community needs protection.”

Mcomish was sentenced to two years of supervision and ordered to do 225 hours of unpaid work in the community within 10 months.

Speaking after the case, Baxter & Gillespie co-owner and managing director Paul Baxter told the Post there were three fires in the week of Mcomish’s attack on the air conditioning unit.

The business has been a local fixture since 1969 and had a turnover of £7 million last year.

The cladding of the building still shows burn marks from the blaze next to the gas line. The pipe is now protected by a metal cover, a steel gate has been added to prevent access to the back and CCTV has been installed.

Including replacing the air conditioning unit, the damage and protective measures will cost the firm £5,000.

Mr Baxter said: “It could have been disastrous. The fire next to the diesel tank was not a risk but the gas pipe was a real worry.