A former restaurant supervisor who torched and destroyed his lover's home has been jailed for almost six years. Dean MacTaggart sparked the blaze forcing Amanda Richards, 43, and a young child to leap from a first floor window to safety.
The 31-year-old struck after Amanda felt he had been "insensitive" about her late mother. MacTaggart was locked up for five years and eight months at the High Court in Glasgow.
He had earlier pled guilty to attempting to murder Amanda and the child following the blaze at the property on Islay in the Inner Hebrides in September 2021. Lord Beckett told him: "This was an extremely serious crime.
"The consequences could have been worse, but for your partner's presence of mind, instinct and bravery. You also destroyed the home and associated office premises. It took firefighters eight hours to bring the fire under control."
MacTaggart will also be supervised for a further three years on his release. Lord Beckett further imposed an indefinite non-harassment order banning him from approaching and contacting Amanda.
The couple had been living together in the flat in the grounds of the Dunlossit Estate on Islay and had a row on the night of the blaze. Prosecutor David Dickson said MacTaggart had started using a "catchphrase" which he had seen on a TV show.
This referred to someone's "mother" and MacTaggart found it "amusing". He had repeated it to Amanda sparking the argument.
Mr Dickson: "As her mother was dead and the date of the offence would have been her 60th birthday, she felt MacTaggart had been insensitive towards her. On challenging him, he appeared to take offence."
The couple ended up in the bedroom where MacTaggart punched her in the face. She then spotted he had a knife before he left the room. Mr Dickson said petrified Amanda shoved drawers and her bed behind the door to barricade in herself and the child, who was also there.
She later told police: "I then saw light coming through the door and it was not light from the flat. I knew the flat was on fire. I then started to work out how to get myself and the child out."
Amanda chucked clothes and bedding onto the ground to try and break a fall. The woman then made the four-metre leap followed by the youngster. As the fire spread, both were able to run to a neighbour to help.
MacTaggart meantime was found by the estate manager outside in his underpants. Mr Dickson: "He was heard to say 'sorry' as he put his head in his hands."
MacTaggart later told police he had lit firelighters which he put under a cushion at Amanda's bedroom door. He added he had been drinking beer and a half bottle of whisky that night. MacTaggart claimed he was in "shock" at what happened.
David Taylor, defending, said: "There has never been a point where he had sought to deny his responsibility. He gave a full and frank account of what happened."
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