Teenager burned after trying to torch car

Published on Tuesday 18 December 2007 15:22

A teenager who poured petrol over the inside of a parked car and then used his lighter to start a fire suffered burns to his face, neck and hands when the petrol vapour exploded.

Because of his injuries, Daryl Ness, 19, now has to stay out of direct sunlight for a year and wear sun block.

Sitting in Edinburgh today, Sheriff Fiona Reith heard that Ness' friend, Craig Walker, also 19, told the police that somebody had assaulted Ness with a blowtorch.

Ness, of Upper Grove Place, Edinburgh, had previously pleaded guilty to wilfully setting fire to the car in Brandfield Street on August 5 last year; and Walker of Hermiston Court, also Edinburgh, had admitted wasting police time by making a false statement. Sentence had been deferred for background reports.

Fiscal Malcolm Stewart said Ness had found a petrol canister inside the car, doused the inside of the vehicle with the petrol and lit his lighter, at which point the petrol vapour exploded back into his face.

The two youths, who lived in the Broomhouse area at the time of the incident, went back to Walker's home. Ness' injuries were becoming so painful that he stood under a cold shower to try and ease the pain, but eventually the pair decided to call an ambulance.

Mr Stewart said it was obvious to the ambulance crew that Ness needed treatment and he was taken to St John's Hospital in Livingston.

When Walker was being interviewed by police he told them that somebody had got hold of Ness in the Broomhouse underpass and held a blowtorch to his face.

The Fiscal said the officers became suspicious and "put two and two together" with the car being set on fire

Sentence was again deferred on the two teenagers to allow a psychological report to be prepared on Ness.