Ex-soldier jailed for Livingston Police Station petrol bomb attack

A British Army veteran who endangered an officer's life in a petrol bomb attack at a police station has been jailed for three-and-a-half years.

Jamie Taylor, 34, launched three Molotov cocktails at police vans parked outside the building in Livingston, West Lothian, on 30 May last year.

A court heard how Taylor had earlier phoned his mother and told her he had a "bag full of vodka bottles filled with petrol" and was going to "blow up" the station.

CCTV footage of the attack showed two bombs bouncing off van windscreens before exploding on the ground, with a third bursting into flames next to PC Kirsty Forsyth as she attempted to tackle the fires with an extinguisher.

At the High Court in Edinburgh in November, Taylor pleaded guilty to two breaches of the 1883 Explosives Act as well as "culpably and recklessly" throwing a petrol bomb at PC Forsyth, "whereby it collided with the ground and exploded to the danger of her life".

He was sentenced at the High Court in Stirling on Tuesday. As well as the jail term, a 12-month supervision order was also imposed.

Prosecutor Wojciech Jajdelski previously told judge Lady Ross that Taylor was chased by police and captured a short time later.

Officers found him lying on the ground next to a bush and "smelling strongly of fuel".

Lady Ross stated: "Even though you were not aiming at her, you put PC Forsyth's life in danger.

"This was obviously dangerous and criminally stupid. You had a sense of grievance against police to do with another individual.

"The police is not a faceless organisation, it is made up of responsible people who run towards danger."

Lady Ross was told that Taylor, of Bo'ness in Falkirk, had multiple previous convictions and was staying temporarily with his mother at the time of the incident.

Mr Jajdelski said shortly before the attack, the defendant's then partner received information under the Disclosure Scheme for Domestic Abuse Scotland.

The prosecutor said: "The disclosure related to his history of domestic violence against a former partner."

Taylor was said to suffer from complex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after serving in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Lady Ross acknowledged Taylor's eight years in the army.

She added: "You have complex PTSD. You understand what you did was wrong.

"You have made progress in prison and have the support of your mother.

"The seriousness of offending means there is no alternative to custody. It is very plain you need help, you need supervision and sustained care."

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Defence solicitor advocate Iain McSporran KC said his client did not know PC Forsyth and one of her colleagues were present, explaining it was not a "targeted attack".

He said Taylor had self-discharged from the army after his last tour of Afghanistan, and while serving had seen "a close friend dying" from an explosive device.

Mr McSporran said: "He has a criminal record, he has served his country, and suffered the consequences of serving his country.

"His life came crashing down when he was about to move in with his partner. He lost that as a result of his criminal record, and he also lost his job.

"He thinks he might have been expecting the police would kill him. He has been vague about his motivations.

"This was a reaction about police informing his partner, I think he will have to accept this was motivation or provocation for his behaviour.

"Were it not for his mental health issues, this offence would never have happened."

Inspector Lindsey McIntyre previously branded the "terrifying incident" a "totally reckless act".

She added: "Thankfully, no one was injured, but the outcome of the incident could have been far worse.

"Every officer has the fundamental right to come home from each shift unharmed, and no one should be targeted in this way, at their place of work, for just doing their job."

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