Man admits starting blaze that gutted St Simon's church in Partick

The church was destroyed in the early hours of the morning on 28 July 2021

A man has admitted starting a huge fire which gutted a historic Glasgow church.

Ryan Haggerty, 25, pled guilty to wilful fire-raising after sparking the blaze at St Simon's RC Church in Partick on 28 July last year.

Soot-covered Haggerty was spotted nearby after the fire, when he told a group of people: "Don't grass me in."

A judge heard it would take "several millions" of pounds to possibly restore the 19th-Century building - the third oldest Catholic church in the city.

An adjoining house where an elderly nun lived was also badly damaged.

Haggerty, who lived in homeless accommodation nearby, had a long-standing drug addiction at the time, his lawyer said

Sister Mary Ross, 79, lived in the presbytery next door and was awoken by the blaze.

She managed to escape and was helped by fire crews, but collapsed at one stage on seeing the destruction caused.

Sister Ross said it was an "act of good fortune" that she got out when she did.

Prosecutor Eilidh Robertson told the court it took no more than 10 minutes from the time the blaze was ignited to it engulfing the building.

She stated the fire "was to the danger of the sister's life".

A string of 999 calls were made around 02:30 that morning after the popular church - built in 1858 - was spotted alight.

"The fire was well developed and visible from several miles away," Ms Robertson added. "It was obvious the church was not salvageable."

'Don't grass me in'

Residents of nearby flats and student accommodation also had to be evacuated.

People who stayed with Haggerty at a homeless unit close to the scene were also on the street.

They spotted him coming from the direction of the church with what, Ms Robertson said, "looked like soot on his hands and face".

"They were suspicious he had started the fire and challenged him," she added.

"He denied it although later stated: 'You all think I started that fire, don't you? Don't grass me in.'"

Only the shell of the building remained after the fire

The High Court in Glasgow heard the fire has left St Simon's "almost completely destroyed" with only external walls in place.

Civil engineering work has continued at the site almost a year after the inferno.

"If it were to be restored to its former construction, then the cost would be several millions," Ms Robertson added.

Parish priest Canon Peter McBride described the impact of the fire as "terrible and heart-breaking".

The church also had close links with the local Polish community dating back to World War Two.

It emerged Haggerty already had a previous conviction for the same crime.

No reason was given why he started the fire, but his lawyer Euan Dow said Haggerty had a long-standing drug addiction at the time.

He was remanded in custody pending sentencing next month.