Crash victim facing life for oil attack

A HEAD injury victim who was hurt in a motorbike accident could face a life sentence after maliciously pouring oil on a driveway at a couple's home.

Gary Barron admitted carrying out the offence at the house of his parents-in-law at Kaims Court, Livingston, in West Lothian, on April 12 this year.

But a sheriff at Livingston Sheriff Court yesterday sent him to the High Court to consider whether it was an appropriate case for an Order for Lifelong Restriction.

Sheriff Douglas Kinloch said it was a "somewhat difficult and anxious case" to sentence and pointed out that Barron had previously been jailed for setting fire to the home of his wife after they began living apart and for cutting the brake pipes on her car.

Advocate depute Andrew Stewart QC said witnesses had described the oil as being all over the driveway and the cost of repair was thought to be about 3000.

Defence counsel Edgar Prais QC said at the time Barron, 47, did not know where his wife was living.

Mr Prais said that before Barron sustained a head injury he had been "a perfectly responsible, hard-working man".

Lord Menzies deferred sentence on Barron, who had been living in Armadale, West Lothian, but is currently in Edinburgh's Saughton prison.