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HARRY BLACK AND DECLAN SMITH WERE CAUGHT AFTER THEIR DNA WAS RECOVERED FROM A PETROL CONTAINER FOUND AT THE SCENE. VIC RODRICK 14:08, 06 Mar 2025 A pair of thugs set two cars alight in a
firebomb attack, a court heard. Harry Black and Declan Smith were caught after their DNA was recovered from a petrol container found at the scene. One of the motors, a blue Hyundai Tucson
had been stolen from a house in Livingston, West Lothian, in September 2022, nearly 11 weeks earlier. It was reversed into a BMW parked in the driveway of a house in the town’s Martin Brae
on 19 December the same year, ramming the other car sideways against the front door. A neighbour, who was inside his home, heard a loud bang “like a firework going off” and looked outside to
see the Hyundai in flames and two males running away, one of them with his hands on fire. The BMW owner, who initially thought the noise outside had been caused by children banging on his
door, saw the Hyundai rammed up against his car and “completely engulfed in flames”. Roshni Joshi, prosecuting, said he tried to separate the two vehicles to reduce the damage to his own car
but was unsuccessful. She said the BMW owner saw a green petrol can lying on his driveway before he took his family back into their home. They waited for the fire service, who extinguished
the flames when they arrived. The fiscal said: “There appeared to be multiple seats of fire and an accelerant had been used. Police found a lighter and a green petrol can which were sent for
analysis.” Article continues below She said forensic analysis found that the DNA of both accused was present on the handle of the petrol container. Smith’s DNA profile was also present on a
glove which was recovered at the scene. Black, who was arrested on suspicion of resetting the Hyundai, spoke freely to police but claimed the might have used the petrol can to refill a
Jaguar X type he owned but couldn’t provide details of who he’d sold the car to. Officers who went to Smith’s home initially saw personal items and a TV inside but got no answer at the door.
When they returned later the belongings were no longer present and a warrant was sought for his arrest. It was later established that Smith’s mobile had been in contact with three telephone
masts around the address at the time of the offence. Black, 38, from Uphall Station, West Lothian, and Smith, 23, of no fixed abode, both pleaded guilty at Livingston Sheriff Court to two
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like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. They admitted wilfully setting
fire to the 2019 Hyundai at Martin Brae Livingston on December 19 2022, damaging it and the 2018 BMW and resetting the stolen Hyundai. James Walker, defending Black, told the court his
client was ashamed and embarrassed by what he had done. He said Black’s life had been chaotic at the time and he had been abusing drugs and alcohol. However, he had since turned his life
around, completed a university degree and had a job in data security. Douglas Kinloch, defending Smith, said his client had a significant criminal record as well as a number of outstanding
cases, including one at High Court level. Sheriff Peter Hammond said the matters before him were serious and clearly crossed the custodial threshold. Article continues below As an
alternative to custody he imposed an 18 month community payback order on Black, to include social work supervision and 150 hours of unpaid work. He sentenced Smith to a total of 15 months in
prison to be served consecutive to the sentence he is currently serving.