Watch moment man narrowly misses police officer with petrol bomb after launching attack on station
Jamie Taylor admitted the attack which was caught on CCTV
This is the horror moment a former soldier launches a flurry of Molotov cocktails at a police station which narrowly misses an officer trying to put out the flames.
Listen to this article
Shocking footage shows Jamie Taylor, also known as Jamie Heggie, throwing the petrol-filled canisters towards Livingston Police Station on May 30.
CCTV captures the third missile exploding near the feet of a female officer trying to battle the flames with a fire extinguisher.
Taylor, 34, is now facing jail after pleading guilty to endangering a police officer’s life at High Court in Edinburgh on Thursday.
The video shows the defendant, who has his hood up, casually kneeling down to pick up the Molotovs which he throws consecutively towards the police vans parked up.
The officer then appears with the extinguisher, but is forced to retreat back inside when the third one lands close to her feet.
Taylor also turns around and flees afterwards.
After pleading guilty, he was told by a judge he will be sentenced in January.
Speaking after the court hearing, Inspector Lindsey McIntyre said: "This was a totally reckless act by Taylor, endangering the lives of all officers and staff who were within the station at the time.
"Thankfully, no one was injured, but the outcome of the incident could have been far worse.
"Every officer has the fundamental right to come home from each shift unharmed, and no one should be targeted in this way, at their place of work, for just doing their job.
"I'd like to commend the bravery of the officer who managed to extinguish the fire before it took hold.
"This is a reminder of the unpredictability and dangerous situations police officers can face while simply carrying out their duty.
"I hope this conviction brings some comfort to the officers involved in this terrifying incident as Taylor faces the consequences of his despicable actions."