AN angry punter tried to set fire to a city betting shop after being told that a winning bet had been placed too late.
William Jenkins, 42, set fire to a pile of betting slips at Morrison’s Bookmakers in Rannoch Road after losing out on the winnings.
Jenkins, of Rannoch Place, was jailed for five months at Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday after admitting the offence last December.
He also pleaded guilty previously to assaulting a member of staff there and to assaulting a police constable.
Fiscal Alastair McLeod told the court Jenkins had gone into the bookmaker’s at about 1pm to collect his winnings on a horse, only to be told the bet had been placed too late, but that he would get his stake back.
Jenkins than set fire to the betting slips and threw them into a wheelie bin in the shop. A member of staff, Mark Gibb, put out the fire by throwing a basin of water into the bin.
Jenkins then took a newspaper from the bin and set fire to it, but Mr Gibb threw more water over it.
The accused then tried to kick Mr Gibb, but missed and kicked the basin instead.
Mr McLeod said the police were called and, as Jenkins was being put into the police vehicle, he kicked Constable David Thomson in the groin. Defence agent Gayle Addison said Jenkins suffered from a degenerative illness which affected him mentally and physically. One of the side effects of the illness was a feeling of depression and despair.
She admitted Jenkins had a long record and added: "Over the years he has been nothing but a nuisance to society"
Sheriff Isobel Poole jailed Jenkins for five months for setting fire to the wheelie bin, four months for assaulting Mr Gibb and five months for kicking the constable.
The sentences were concurrent and backdated to December 2, when Jenkins was taken into custody.
The Scotsman
