A DUNFERMLINE man heavily intoxicated after consuming alcohol and drugs went into a stranger’s garden and tried to burn down his shed.

Richard Brown, 41, of Rose Street, appeared from custody at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.

The fire brigade was called out by neighbours as he was wrestled to the ground by the shocked home owner.

Brown admitted that on October 22 at an address in Victoria Street, Dunfermline, he culpably and recklessly set fire to bags and pallets next to a shed whereby the fire took hold and caused damage to the shed.

He also admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner, acted aggressively and made threats of violence.

Depute fiscal Azrah Yousaf said a woman looked out of her bedroom window at around 6.30pm.

“She saw a male lighting fires at a shed in the garden,” added the depute. The woman told her partner who ran from his home and grabbed Brown, putting him on the ground.

By this time the fire had taken hold and neighbours called the fire brigade before throwing buckets of water over the shed.

When police arrived they found Brown still being restrained. When he was detained by officers, he claimed he had been assaulted and if they did not act he would “come back and do something about it.”

Defence solicitor Elaine Buist said: “He’s extremely sorry about this. The people were unknown to him and he would like to extend his apologies.”

She said her client suffered from depression and also had a drink problem.

“On this occasion as well as alcohol he had taken a full strip of valium. The first thing he remembers after leaving his mum’s home was that there was someone on his back, holding his head down and he was struggling to breathe,” the solicitor went on.

“When he was speaking to the police all he could remember was that a man had assaulted him.”

Sheriff Craig McSherry called for reports and sentencing will take place on January 9. Brown, who had been in custody since October 23, was granted bail.