Stewart Watson, who was jailed for eight-and-a-half years in 2016 for dousing former model Anne Crossan with lighter fluid and setting her alight at her West Lothian home in 2015, has been sentenced to an additional 20 months in prison after threatening to repeat the attack on social media.
Threat on Social Media
In March, Watson posted a chilling message on social media, writing: "I enjoyed burning you for the rumours. You didn't expect me to walk into your house and burn you alive. You deserved every bit and I'd do it again." The message was spotted by concerned members of the public at Broxburn Partnership Centre and reported to police, leaving Anne Crossan terrified.
Livingston Sheriff Court heard the social media account belonged to Watson, who admitted writing the malicious message when questioned by police. Prosecutor Cat Jagla said the threatening post caused significant alarm and distress to the woman he had previously tried to murder.
Mental Health Defense
Darryl Lovie, defending, said Watson was admitted to a psychiatric ward shortly before the offence after his mental health deteriorated. He told the court: "I think it's fair to say that when he posted the social media message he was suffering from some form of mental difficulty." Mr Lovie accepted the post had caused Anne "significant distress" but said it had not been sent directly to her. He added: "Once the issues in relation to Watson's mental health had been properly addressed, he saw clearly how stupid a mistake it was. He apologised to the police … and wishes to apologise to the complainer." The solicitor also said Watson wanted to apologise to a member of staff at St John's Hospital in Livingston after admitting assaulting them while being treated in the psychiatric ward on April 15, which led to him being remanded in custody.
Sentence and Background
Sheriff Peter Hammond said Watson's mental health had been taken into account but ruled that, given the seriousness of the offences and his convictions, only a prison sentence was appropriate. He jailed Watson for 20 months, backdated to April 20, when he was remanded. The latest sentence comes a decade after Watson carried out the terrifying fire attack on Anne.
At his High Court trial, jurors heard Watson arrived at Anne's home claiming he wanted to discuss splitting up with her best friend, Sharon Christie. But when she opened the door he drenched her in a flammable liquid before setting it alight while shouting: "F*** you, b***h." Anne told the court: "Flames came right up at me. I just put my right hand up to my face, so the right side wasn't as badly burned as the left. I had glasses on. If I hadn't I would have been blinded. I ran to the bathroom and ducked my head in the water. My hair was on fire. My face and my neck were on fire. I think my throat got a bit burnt as well." She spent two weeks in an induced coma as doctors treated her burns, which left her scarred on her face, neck and chest and she lost most of the cartilage in her ears. Anne was left with PTSD, suffering nightmares and too frightened to answer her front door.
Watson had threatened to kill Anne after she warned Sharon that he had been tested recently for HIV and for hepatitis B and C because of drug use. In 2020, Anne fought to stop Watson being freed, writing to the Parole Board to try to keep him behind bars.
