David Pirie, 27, packed an explosive with petrol, nails and pieces of concrete and left it outside the home of Alexander McCluckie
David Pirie (pictured), 27, left the explosive device outside the window of terrified Alexander McCluckie
A thug who left a nail bomb outside his neighbour’s home in a row over claims his girlfriend was running a brothel has walked free from court.
David Pirie, 27, left the explosive device packed with petrol, nails and pieces of concrete outside the home of terrified Alexander McCluckie.
Mr McCluckie stayed next door to Pirie’s girlfriend Louise Stewart in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, but relations soured when she made a malicious call to the SSPCA about Mr McCluckie’s dog.
Months later police arrested Miss Stewart after they were told she was operating a brothel but she was released without charge.
Pirie suspected Mr McCluckie had called police and smashed his front window and left a glass bottle, which had a strong smell of fuel coming from it, and a lighter outside.
Pirie was arrested and his DNA was discovered on the bottle.
But days before he was due in court, he fled to Tenerife for almost a year before returning to Scotland.
Pirie, of Bailleston, Glasgow, appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court and admitted leaving the makeshift bomb at the flat in August 2015 and failing to appear in court in June 2017.
He was spared jail by Sheriff Shiona Waldron and told to perform 150 hours of unpaid work.
Depute fiscal Vish Kathuria said: “The complainer looked out of his window and observed the brick but also observed a glass bottle which contained fluid, nails and a bag protruding from it and noted a lighter next to it.
“He formed the view that what had been left was a petrol bomb and he could also smell fuel coming from the bottle and contacted police.
“The bottle was later dismantled and found to contain nails, fragments of concrete and fluid which was later found to be petrol.
“The accused’s partner was later interviewed and was asked what she knew about the bomb and replied ‘I didn’t know he had actually done it, he told me about it and I was like that is a bit far’.
“The bomb was analysed forensically and DNA from the accused was found on the top of the bottle.
Brazen Pirie used social media to boast of his carefree lifestyle in Tenerife and shared dozens of snaps showing him partying with groups of friends who seem unaware he was avoiding justice back home.
In one photo, he is seen posing with boxers Carl Frampton and Steven Ward as they enjoyed a break away from the ring.
Others show him holding a bottle of Buckfast, playing mini-golf and relaxing on the beach in the sunshine.
Sheriff Waldron said: “You have no previous convictions and this was an extremely foolish incident made much worse by your failure to appear when you were supposed to.
“You have already spent a considerable time in custody relating to that matter and you will be admonished.
“In relation to you acting in a threatening manner by placing an amateur pseudo petrol bomb which fortunately did not do any harm to anyone, you will carry out unpaid work as a direct alternative to custody.”
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