Kinross teen appears at Perth Sheriff Court for bin fire

Oct 2 2009 by Alison Anderson, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

A KINROSS teenager who put the life of a council tenant in danger when he set fire to a wheelie bin in the town has been ordered to complete 200 hours of community service.

Appearing for sentence at Perth Sheriff Court was Kenneth Parsons (17), Montgomery Street, who had previously admitted starting the fire outside a flat in Mill Street on December 20.

Sentence had been deferred until this week for Parsons to prove he could be of good behaviour.

The court had been told Parsons set fire to the wheelie bin after attending a party and getting drunk. The blaze spread to a nearby flat, and although the property’s smoke alarm was activated and roused the occupant at 5am, he had been unable to get out his front door because of the smoke and flames. He had to escape through his window.

Sheriff Lindsay Foulis said it was fortunate the result of Parson’s culpable and reckless behaviour had not been more serious.

After being told by depute fiscal Charmaine Cole that Parsons had been of good behaviour during his period of deferment, Sheriff Foulis imposed the community sentence order.

Parsons was admonished on a further charge of stealing a bird feeder pole and solar lights from gardens in Kinross on June 22.