Jamie Taylor, 34, launched three petrol bombs at Police Scotland vans parked outside the force’s Livingston office on May 30 this year with the incident caught on CCTV
A former soldier put a police officer’s life in jeopardy during an attempt to “blow up” a major Scottish law enforcement facility with petrol bombs, a court was told. Jamie Taylor, 34, hurled three molotov cocktails at Police Scotland vehicles stationed outside the force’s Livingston headquarters on May 30.
On Thursday, a judge at Edinburgh’s High Court viewed CCTV footage showing Taylor lobbing the makeshift weapons, which bounced off the windscreens of the patrol cars before detonating on the ground and igniting blazes near the entrance.
Lady Ross then witnessed footage of PC Kirsty Forsyth dashing from the station clutching a fire extinguisher as she attempted to douse the flames alongside colleague PC Barry Henderson.
However, Lady Ross then observed the terrifying moment when Taylor launched his third petrol bomb, which landed directly at PC Forsyth’s feet, with the judge able to see flames erupting from the ground around the officer.
The constable could then be seen desperately trying to escape serious harm by fleeing the area, whilst her colleagues poured from the station in pursuit of Taylor, who was captured shortly afterwards on a street in the West Lothian town.
Detailing Taylor’s arrest, prosecutor Wojciech Jajdelski informed Lady Ross: “Following information that the accused had been seen in Columbia Avenue in Livingston, police officers attended there and found him lying on the ground next to a bush.
“He was smelling strongly of fuel. He stated: ‘if it makes any difference, I know it won’t, but it wasn’t a directed attack.
“The accused was arrested by police. He stated that he understood and made no reply. He was then taken to Livingston police station where he was processed and his clothing was seized.”
The details surfaced when Taylor, from Bo’ness, Scotland, admitted guilt to two charges under the 1883 Explosives Act for hurling three petrol bombs at the police station and cars parked outside.
Taylor also confessed to another charge of “culpably and recklessly” lobbing a petrol bomb towards Kirsty Forsyth, “whereby it collided with the ground and exploded to the danger of her life.”
On Thursday, Mr Jajdelski informed Lady Ross that Taylor had eight prior convictions and was living temporarily with his mother when the incident occurred.
The prosecutor revealed that just before the attack, Mr Taylor’s female partner had received information through the disclosure scheme for Domestic Abuse Scotland.
Mr Jajdelski continued: “The disclosure related to his history of domestic violence against a former partner.”
The court was told that on the day of the assault, his mother had departed on holiday and Taylor rang her to reveal he possessed a “bag full of vodka bottles filled with petrol”.
The prosecutor continued: “He said he was going to blow up Livingston Police station.” Just before 6.30pm, a taxi driver collected Mr Taylor and drove him to the police station.
Defence solicitor advocate Iain McSporran KC informed the court that his client grappled with severe mental health problems, partly linked to his previous “army career”.
Taylor will face sentencing at the High Court in Stirling on January 13 2026.
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