Prison for firestarter who left kitten to burn

Published on 27/11/2008 09:17

A MAN who left a kitten to burn to death when he set fire to his high-rise home because his relationship broke down has been jailed.

Rodney Wright, 36, put more than 150 of his neighbours' lives at risk when he trashed his flat at Dunsyre House North in Calder Crescent and set it alight after a drinking binge.

He was seen storming out of the block carrying his belongings in a black holdall as flames engulfed the seventh-floor residence.

But before he left, Wright wrapped his pet kitten in a towel and left it under a blazing couch while other cats in the flat had to fend for themselves.

The kitten was only saved when firemen spotted it cowering from flames as they put out the fire.

Yesterday, Wright was jailed for 20 months at Edinburgh Sheriff Court. Once released, he will be supervised for a further ten months and could be jailed if he steps out of line.

Fiscal depute Aidan Higgins told the court how Wright's flat was in a 68-home council high-rise in Edinburgh's Calder area housing approximately 160 residents.

After the fire, Wright returned home and told police that he had been camping and knew nothing of the blaze. But he later admitted that he had got drunk on 45 worth of booze and had set the fire because he was struggling to cope with his relationship break-up.