A man has appeared in court charged with starting a fire at a flat in Ayr while four people were inside the property.

Allan Brown denies a charge of deliberately starting a blaze at a block of flats in the town's Russell Drive.

The Crown claims that the 42-year-old endangered the lives of four people who were inside the third-floor flat on September 10, 2022 by wilfully setting fire to paper and cardboard, or similar objects, which were then placed next to the front door of the property

The charge alleges that the fire took effect, resulting in damage to the door and danger to the lives of those in the flat and surrounding properties.

It's further claimed that on the date of the alleged offence, Mr Brown, of Davidson Place, Ayr, was the subject of a bail order granted at Ayr Sheriff Court on August 1, 2022.

 

Defence solicitor Hugh Duncan told a pre-trial hearing at Ayr Sheriff Court that his client was pleading not guilty to the charge.

 

Bail was continued and Mr Brown will return to court to face the allegation at a later date.

All accused persons reported in the Ayr Advertiser are considered innocent unless they later admit the charge(s) against them or are found guilty.