A gangland drugs enforcer who petrol bombed a house full of children has been sent to prison for more than three years.
Dean Ritchie admitted putting lives in danger with the firebomb attack and was jailed for 38 months and made subject to a 12-month supervised release order.
Sidekick Liam Rice was told he could have killed several people in the hit he carried out in order to pay off his own £1,500 drug debt.
Sheriff's rebuke
Sheriff George Way told Ritchie: "This property was occupied by a grandmother."
"The door was set alight but thankfully - and to be clear it was no thanks to you - the fire didn't take hold and was extinguished without the need for the fire brigade."
"You are a man with a propensity for violence. The crime of reckless endangerment implies you did not care what the consequences of your actions would be."
"You have shown no real remorse, instead trying to shift blame to your 21-year-old accomplice. You are fortunate, in my opinion, there is no connection to serious organised crime aggravation in the charge."
Sheriff Way previously placed Rice on a curfew for seven months and placed him under social work supervision for the next 18 months.
Accomplice's role
He told Rice: "You pled guilty to two really grave offences. You could have had no thought or understanding as to the appalling potential harm that could have followed your actions."
"To set fire to any residential property - you cannot control that and you have no idea what is going to happen next. However, I reject attempts by your co-accused to throw all the blame on you. You were unleashed by Mr Ritchie."
Dundee Sheriff Court heard how a grandmother was in her home looking after several children when Rice hurled the petrol bomb over their trampoline and slide towards the door.
The court was shown Ring doorbell footage of the Molotov cocktail exploding against the door and then a blaze burning for a period.
Details of the attacks
Ritchie, 29, and Rice, 21, admitted endangering the life of occupants at an address in the city's Kirkton Road by targeting it with a petrol bomb on November 5, 2024.
Rice also admitted endangering lives during a second petrol bombing incident at Kingsway East on October 29, 2024. Ritchie admitted supplying cannabis on November 7, 2024.
Sheriff Tim Niven-Smith previously told the duo: "The potentiality for someone to have died here is significant."
"It is common sense and judicial knowledge that drugs are provided to people and they are led on and individuals incur debts. Mr Rice was at a house wearing a balaclava, about a debt."
"That would suggest he was in some way, potentially by deduction, that he was acting for those concerned in the supply of drugs and enforcing those debts."
"Having attended with his face masked, he then puts a petrol bomb towards the property. In the other incident he was conveyed to the property and gets out of the car."
"There's children in the house. There's a swing, a slide and the petrol bomb is thrown over the trampoline."
Fiscal depute Laurelle Johnstone told the court: "On 29 October people were within the property when the accused Rice attended wearing a balaclava and asked for someone by name."
Rice was told his debt was not being paid and a few moments later the occupants heard the explosion of a petrol bomb hitting the side of the building.
"On 5 November a grandmother was looking after her grandchildren. A car was driven to the scene by Ritchie. Rice got out and set alight a petrol bomb and threw it at the door."
"It exploded. He got back in the vehicle. The flames eventually self-extinguished." She said the doorbell footage was analysed and the car was traced to Ritchie.
When the car was searched it was found to contain glass bottles and toilet roll, and around £815 worth of cannabis was found inside Ritchie's home.
Solicitor Gino Gambali, defending Rice, said: "There was a significant debt he had occurred, of £1,500. He found himself in a scenario where he could either do what he was asked to do, or there would be consequences."
