A Lanarkshire man has been convicted of setting fire to his own home after giving firefighters three different stories on the cause of the blaze.
Anup Singh Padam appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court , where jurors heard that fire crews discovered an overwhelming smell of petrol and refused to believe the 37-year-old's claim that a chip pan had caught fire.
Padam denied wilful fireraising at the rented Hamilton property - a four-bedroom semi-detached house - on May 30, 2023. However, the jury found him guilty.
The court heard firefighters met Padam outside and he was "not forthcoming" as they sought information such as if there were any persons inside.
He gave them three different stories about how the fire had started and during his trial he didn't give evidence but incriminated