Scotland’s Clumsiest Criminal Ignites Himself: Bungles Arson Job for Gang

Following his release from prison, Darren Gibb will undergo eight months of supervised release to mitigate any risk he might pose to the public, ordered by Sheriff Tim Niven-Smith.

Labelled “Scotland’s dumbest criminal” by a sheriff, a clumsy mob enforcer accidentally set himself on fire while attempting to burn vehicles.

Darren Gibb, aged 33, received a two-year prison sentence after he was captured on camera sprinting from the crime scene, his hand ablaze.

Instructed by criminal overlords, Gibb was implicated in the arson of three vehicles throughout the city, as detailed by Dundee Sheriff Court. Alongside his incarceration, Sheriff Tim Niven-Smith decreed an eight-month supervised release for Gibb upon his release, to shield the public from potential harm.

The sheriff remarked, “One of the videos distinctly shows him setting himself on fire. He’s seen running with his hand on fire, having accidentally splashed himself with the accelerant – truly Scotland’s dumbest criminal.

“You admitted to three counts of intentional arson on separate occasions. Your actions were intended to financially and inconveniently damage the vehicle owners.

“These actions were premeditated. You confessed to having been directed to set the vehicles on fire by other criminals. You arrived dressed in dark clothes, used an accelerant, and the crimes were thoroughly pre-planned. The responsibility for these actions rests heavily upon you, involving multiple victims.

“The potential for serious harm or even death from your actions was significant. These crimes were committed purely for personal financial benefit. You were acting as an enforcer for a drug trafficker.

“You were indebted to those who commanded you to commit these crimes, and in return, your debts were forgiven. You generally lack good character.

“In one of the incidents, you accidentally set yourself on fire and were fortunate to not suffer more severe burns.”

The court learned that Gibb caused damage estimated at £44,300 to vehicles including a Volkswagen Golf, a Toyota Aygo, an Audi A6, and a Mercedes-Benz. Intense footage displayed in court showed the vehicles engulfed in flames, ignited with an accelerant.

Residents near Charleston Drive reported a loud explosion in the early morning of September 19 last year. Prosecutor Stephanie Paterson relayed, “A witness peered out their window to see the silver Volkswagen Golf ablaze.

“Several individuals dressed in black were seen fleeing the scene. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service responded and declared the fire as intentionally set.”

Damage to a nearby Toyota Aygo’s plastic components was also noted, with investigators later finding a melted jerry can inside a black backpack at the scene.

Furthermore, Gibb mistakenly left his partner’s house key fob at the crime scene. On October 24, he once again committed arson after taking a taxi to an address in Kirkton around 4 a.m.

Ms. Paterson added, “At approximately 5:15 a.m., a witness was awakened by a loud bang at their front door and saw the silver Audi in their driveway on fire, with flames coming from the wheel arches.

“The phrase ‘let’s go Megan’ was spray-painted on the ground, a message intended for the daughter of a neighbor. Two days later, Gibb was caught on a Ring doorbell video setting another Audi on fire on the same street.”

He again applied an accelerant to the vehicle’s bonnet and fled towards Old Glamis Road. The desperate vehicle owner attempted to douse the flames with a hose until the arrival of emergency services.

Police apprehended Gibb shortly after, with noticeable burn marks on his hand. When questioned, he responded, “I’ve not done nothing at all.”

The smell of petrol lingered on Gibb’s clothing, parts of which had melted. A subsequent search of his partner’s apartment revealed jerry can nozzles vacuum packed away. Gibb ultimately pleaded guilty to three instances of willful fire-raising on two different streets in Dundee.

His attorney, Mike Short, stated that Gibb had “followed orders” from higher-ranking criminals to alleviate his drug-related debts.