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| Petrol fire killer gets 21 years | |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| A teenager who killed his girlfriend by dousing her in petrol and setting her alight will serve at least 21 years behind bars. | |
| Stewart Blackburn, 18, was convicted in December after a 10-day trial. | Stewart Blackburn, 18, was convicted in December after a 10-day trial. |
| His girlfriend Jessica McCagh, 17, died on 25 April after the attack at the Arbroath flat they shared. | |
| Judge Lord Bracadale, who imposed a life sentence with a minimum term of 21 years, said Jessica had suffered a "terrible death" at Blackburn's hands. | |
| The judge told the High Court in Edinburgh the evidence had shown there were three stages to the murder. | |
| "First, you threw petrol over her. Then you set fire to her," he said. | |
| Life should be life. I hope he doesn't get out. Jessica's father Garry McCagh | |
| "Once she was alight you did something of quite extraordinary cruelty: you held the door of the bedroom shut to prevent her escape. | |
| "Jessica McCagh was your girlfriend, aged 17 years, and she died a terrible death at your hands." | |
| Jessica's father said he was happy with the 21-year minimum sentence but added that he hoped Blackburn would never be freed from custody. | |
| Speaking outside court, Garry McCagh said: "Life should be life. I hope he doesn't get out. I hope they just keep him in." | |
| Surrounded by his wife and family, he paid tribute to his "precious daughter", saying: "She was a lovely wee lassie, we're going to miss her very, very, very much. We'll never forget her." | |
| The court heard Blackburn had earlier threatened to burn Jessica's parents' house using petrol, and that he had convictions for assault and a history of violence as a child. | |
| Blackburn returned to the burning flat to save his dogs | |
| He also admitted to a social worker preparing a background report he had thrown a petrol bomb at a house when he was just 13 years old after falling out with the occupant, Lord Bracadale said. | |
| The judge added that Blackburn's "level of wickedness" deserved a long punishment. | |
| Blackburn, who denied murder, was convicted by a unanimous verdict after a trial at the High Court in Livingston. | |
| The teenager claimed the fire started from burning embers dropping from a cannabis cigarette. | |
| But expert witnesses told the court that was very unlikely and produced evidence to indicate the petrol must have been lit by a naked flame. | But expert witnesses told the court that was very unlikely and produced evidence to indicate the petrol must have been lit by a naked flame. |
| The attack left Jessica, a former pupil at Arbroath High School, with burns on up to 85% of her body. She died later the same day at Dundee's Ninewells Hospital. | The attack left Jessica, a former pupil at Arbroath High School, with burns on up to 85% of her body. She died later the same day at Dundee's Ninewells Hospital. |
| At the trial, prosecutor Frank Mulholland QC described Blackburn's crime as a "barbaric and evil act against a defenceless young woman". | At the trial, prosecutor Frank Mulholland QC described Blackburn's crime as a "barbaric and evil act against a defenceless young woman". |