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View Gallery A TEENAGER who burned his face while setting fire to a car has been ordered to carry out 150 hours of community service. Daryl Ness, 19, was left screaming in agony when the fuel vapour exploded back at him, leaving him with serious burns to his face neck and hand.

His friend tried to cover up what had happened by telling police Ness had been attacked by a someone wielding a blowtorch.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard that Ness had found a petrol canister inside a parked car and had doused the inside of the vehicle with fuel, then lit his lighter, but the vapour exploded.

He went back to friend Craig Walker's home in the Broomhouse area of Edinburgh and stood under a cold shower to try to ease the pain.

But the injuries were so bad the pair eventually decided to call an ambulance and Ness was taken to St John's Hospital in Livingston for treatment.

Doctors told him to stay out of direct sunlight until later this year and wear sun block for his injuries.

When interviewed by police, Walker sai d somebody had got hold of Ness in the Broomhouse underpass and held a blowtorch to his face.

But the officers became suspicious knowing a car had been set on fire, and the truth came out.

Ness had already pleaded guilty to wilfully setting fire to the car in the city's Brandfield Street on August 5, 2007, and appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today to be sentenced.

Nigel Bruce, defending Ness, of Craigmillar Court, Edinburgh, said: "He's thoroughly ashamed of his staggering stupidity. He suffered quite bad burns as a result."

Sheriff Fiona Reith said she could have jailed Ness for the fire-raising but was ordering him to complete unpaid community work instead.

Walker, 19, of Hermiston Court, Edinburgh, previously pleaded guilty to wasting police time by making a false statement.

His sentence has been deferred for six months to allow him to demonstrate good behaviour.

Submitted on 02/29/2008

Submitted by: Anonymous
Reference: http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/topstories/Community-service-for-teen-who.3832110.jp

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Bruce said:
Definitely Keep: Honorable Mention
Sounds to me like this guy got exactly what he deserved, especially since it sounds like he was trying to torch some random car just for the thrill of it. Nice to see the car fought back! Thanks for sending this in.

James said:
Definitely Keep: Honorable Mention
Hopefully, whatever criminal tendencies this bonny lad may have had were burned out of him! He's lucky his entire skull wasn't immolated! I think this is worthy of an HM, and hopefully we'll hear nothing but good from this lad henceforth and forevermore!

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