Blair Logan jailed for killing brother by setting him on fire
Blair Logan, 27, admitted to pouring petrol on his younger sibling Cameron, but said he had not intended to kill him.
Friday 11 August 2017 12:01, UK
A man has been jailed for 20 years for murdering his brother and attempting to murder his brother's girlfriend by setting them on fire.
Blair Logan, 27, poured petrol over his younger brother Cameron and his brother's girlfriend, Rebecca Williams, as they slept on New Year's Day.
The couple were at the Logan's family home in Milngavie, East Dunbartonshire, Scotland.
Ms Williams was rescued and treated in hospital, while Logan's parents suffered smoke inhalation. The family dog, Gomez, was also killed.
Logan had pleaded guilty to charges of murder and attempted murder last month. He said he had poured the petrol in retaliation for being punched earlier by his brother, but had not intended to kill him.
"It was not my intent to kill him but I did do it," he told police.
He was given a life sentence with a minimum of 20 years, reduced from 24 because of his early plea, at the High Court in Edinburgh.
Judge Lady Scott said Cameron had died a "horrible death" and that his brother had "acted with wicked recklessness".
During the trial, the court heard the two brothers had a "hostile" relationship, and Logan told police they had not spoken since the death of their grandmother in 2013.
A computer seized from his bedroom showed that he had searched the internet for burn victims since October last year.
Logan told police he thought that Ms Williams was out of the room, and also that he did not want to murder his parents, David and Catherine.
Both parents, as well as Ms Williams, were in court. In a letter to the court, the parents said they "find it extremely difficult to reconcile the Blair they know with the Blair who caused Cameron's death".
Defence QC Shelagh McCall said Logan had shown genuine remorse, and now viewed the murder of his brother as "horrific".
On the night of the fire, Mrs Logan, awoken by the dog, ran out of the house to call for help from neighbours.
Mr Logan tried to enter the living room, where the couple were sleeping on an inflatable mattress, but was beaten back by the intensity of the fire.
Ms Logan was able to escape the room and go to the kitchen, where she protected herself by putting her head in the fridge.
She suffered burns to her arms and face and has undergone surgery four times. She also damaged her throat, vocal cords and lungs, and due to the extent of her injuries, she may not be able to return to work as a broadcast journalist.