Published: Wednesday, 12th August, 2009 2:00pm

Woman tried to set home alight with kid inside

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Cops alerted by child's screams

SENTENCING: Dumbarton Sheriff Court

A WOMAN tried to set her flat on fire using newspapers and a gas cooker while she and a child were inside.

Troubled Janice Gouck, 31, was found lying on the kitchen floor, waiting for the flames to take effect, by police, who were alerted by the kid's screams.

The incident came during a series of run-ins between Gouck and her neighbours, Dumbarton Sheriff Court heard on Thursday.

Kevin Docherty, fiscal depute, said Gouck came out of her house at around 11.25am when she saw the neighbour at the window, at which point she started shouting and swearing abuse such as "come out here, you grass" and "cowards".

The police were called and charged Gouck with breach of the peace.

Ten days later police were at the neighbour's house for an unrelated matter when they heard screaming coming from outside.

Mr Docherty said: "The officers went outside and spoke to the [screaming] child who told them that [Gouck] had set the kitchen on fire. One officer went in and saw that there was a newspaper on fire on top of a gas cooker with one of the hobs lit.

"[Gouck], at that point, was lying on the kitchen floor."

The police called the fire brigade and evacuated the building before putting out the blaze themselves with a wet cloth.

When they inspected the scene they found Gouck had chillingly left the other gas hobs on to maximise the fire.

She was taken to the Western Infirmary and interviewed where she told cops she started the fire.

Gouck told them "I didn't think of anyone else because they don't care about me".

The 31-year-old pled guilty to breaching the peace outside her home on July 4 this year and to culpably and recklessly fire setting at the house on July 14.

Gouck's lawyer said she should be given probation to monitor her mental health problems.

Sheriff Simon Fraser fined Gouck, of 40 Bell Street, Whitecrook, £175 for the peace breach and placed her on probation for 12 months.