'Scotland's dumbest criminal' set fire to himself while torching cars for gang

Daily Record

19-06-2025

Sheriff Tim Niven-Smith also imposed an eight-month supervised release period to protect the public from serious harm once Gibb is freed from jail.
A bungling gangland enforcer has been called "Scotland's dumbest criminal" by a sheriff after he set fire to himself while torching cars.
Hapless hood Darren Gibb, 33 was jailed for two years after a court was shown footage of him fleeing from the scene with his hand on fire.
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Dundee Sheriff Court heard Gibb was acting on the orders of gangland figures to set fire to three vehicles across the city in targeted attacks. Sheriff Tim Niven-Smith also imposed an eight-month supervised release period to protect the public from serious harm once Gibb is freed from jail.
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The sheriff said: "He set fire to himself clearly in one of the videos. He's running with one of his hands on fire because the accelerant has gone on himself - Scotland's dumbest criminal.
"You pled guilty to three charges of wilful fireraising on three dates. You intended to cause financial harm and inconvenience to the owners of the vehicles.
"These acts were pre-meditated. You said you had been asked to set fire to the cars on behalf of another criminal or criminals. You attended in dark clothing and used accelerant and the crimes were pre-planned. Your blameworthiness is high and your case involves multiple victims.
"There was the potentiality of serious harm or even death by your actions. Your crimes were committed solely for your financial gain. You were acting as enforcer for a drug dealer.
"You were indebted to those who asked you to commit these crimes and you gained financially by having debts written off. You are not of good character generally.
"In committing one of the offences you managed to set fire to yourself and were lucky not to sustain a more substantial burn injury."
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The court heard Gibb caused £44,300 worth of damage to a Volkswagen Golf, a Toyota Aygo, an Audi A6 and a Mercedes-Benz.
Dramatic video footage played to the court showed the ferocious flames that engulfed the cars, which were started with accelerant.
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Residents in the Charleston Drive area overheard a loud bang in the early hours of September 19 last year. Prosecutor Stephanie Paterson said: "One of the witnesses looked out the living room window and could see the silver Volkswagen Golf to be on fire.
"Two to three males in black were seen to run away. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service attended to extinguished the blaze and deemed it to be wilful."
Plastic on the back of the nearby Toyota Aygo was damaged as a result of the fire with scene examiners later discovering the melted remains of a jerry can within a black rucksack.
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Gormless Gibb also left the key fob to his partner's home at the scene of the crime. On October 24, he struck again after hiring a taxi to an address in Kirkton shortly after 4am.
Ms Paterson said: "At around 5.15am, the witness was woken by a loud bang at the front door and observed the silver Audi in the driveway on fire with flames emanating from the wheel arches.
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"The words 'let's go Megan' were spray painted on the ground. The court was told that this was a message relating to the daughter of a neighbour. The court heard how Gibb was caught on Ring doorbell footage two days later setting fire to an Audi on the same street.
He again used accelerant on the bonnet of the car, before running away in the direction of Old Glamis Road. The desperate owner used a hose to try to put out the flames before fire crews and police descended on the scene.
Police arrested Gibb a short distance away and the firebug, who had burn marks on his hand, replied: "I've not done nothing at all."
Gibb's clothing smelled of petrol with the court hearing how part of his jacket had been melted.
Officers later searched his partner's flat, where nozzles for jerry cans were discovered in a vacuum pack. Gibb, from Dundee, pled guilty to three charges of wilful fireraising on two separate streets in Dundee.
Solicitor Mike Short said Gibb "chose to follow instructions" from more serious and organised criminals after mounting up drug debts.