Man jailed for trying to kill man and boy in flat fire

A doorbell camera captured Craig McQuillian setting fire to the front door

A man has been jailed for six years for the attempted murder of a man and a young boy by starting a fire outside their flat in Edinburgh.

Craig McQuillian was caught on CCTV entering the 14-storey Fidra Court building on November 12 last year with a metal crowbar and a plastic bag with a container of petrol.

The 44-year-old had carried out the attack in a row with his partner's ex boyfriend.

McQuillian pleaded guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh to one charge of wilful fire-raising, danger to life and attempted murder.

The court heard that after his arrest, McQuillian started crying when he heard there was a child at the property.

However, he told police he would “not have had any remorse” if his intended target had been the only person in the flat.

Police Scotland said it was a "targeted attack" that could have killed two innocent people and harmed many others in the building.

McQuillian was jailed for six years for his actions

McQuillian had been caught on a neighbour's doorbell camera setting fire to the door of the flats before leavng in the lift.

The young boy, who was in bed at the time, smelled burning and raised the alarm by shouting "fire".

The man was able to douse the flames with a wet towel before they had a chance to spread.

The neighbour who captured the attack on camera had phoned the fire brigade.

Passing sentence, Lord Mullholland referenced the Grenfell Tower fire in London in 2017 when 72 people died in the blaze.

He told McQuillian: “Had it not been for the quick thinking and the bravery of one of the occupants in putting it [the fire] out, you could have been facing charges of murder.

“You only need to look at Grenfell Tower to know the consequences of actions such as your own.

“However, you got off your mark leaving the occupants to their fate.”