Former soldier jailed after narrowly missing female police officer in petrol bomb attack
Jamie Taylor served in Afghanistan but was "self-discharged' during his final tour and was later diagnosed with PTSD
A former soldier who launched Molotov cocktails at a police station, which endangered the life of a female officer trying to put out the flames, has been jailed.
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Shocking CCTV showed the moment Jamie Taylor threw the petrol-filled canisters towards Livingston Police Station on May 30 last year.
The video captured the third missile exploding near the feet of PC Kirsty Forsyth, who was trying to battle the flames with a fire extinguisher.
Appearing at the High Court in Stirling on Tuesday, Taylor, 34, who served as a soldier for eight years, was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison, where a judge described his actions as "completely stupid."
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The court heard Taylor took a taxi to the station, armed with four vodka bottles filled with petrol, before lighting one of them and throwing it at five marked police vans parked outside.
After the petrol bomb ignited, he hurled another, which prompted PC Forsyth to run to extinguish the blaze.
Taylor then lit a third petrol bomb and threw it, causing flames which went above the officer's head, the court heard.
Sentencing him, Judge Lady Ross said: "Even though you were not aiming at her, you put PC Forsyth's life in danger
"The police is not a faceless organisation, it is made up of responsible people who run towards danger.
"You were a soldier for eight years and experienced serious trauma. You have complex PTSD. You understand what you did was wrong.
"You have made progress in prison and have the support of your mother. The seriousness of offending means there is no alternative to custody.
"It is very plain you need help, you need supervision and sustained care."
Taylor, who has 11 previous convictions, admitted two charges relating to explosive substances and endangering life, and culpable and wilful conduct, on an earlier occasion.
Iain McSporran KC, defending, said Taylor did not know PC Forsyth and her colleague were present, and that it was not an assault or "targeted attack."
Mr McSporran said Taylor had "self-discharged from the Army after his last tour of Afghanistan" and while serving had seen a close friend dying from an explosive device.
Mr McSporran said of Taylor: "He has a criminal record, he has served his country, and suffered the consequences of serving his country.
"His life came crashing down when he was about to move in with his partner. He lost that as result of his criminal record and he also lost his job.
"This was a reaction about police informing his partner, I think he will have to accept this was motivation or provocation for his behaviour."
He added: "Were it not for his mental health issues, this offence would never have happened.”This was obviously dangerous and criminally stupid.
"You had a sense of grievance against police to do with another individual."