CCTV captures man buy petrol and Irn-Bru before Greenock fire attack

Drew Darling was one of six men to be jailed today for a total of 64 years and three months, for their part in a series of petrol bomb attacks in Greenock.

Footage shown to the High Court in Glasgow showed Darling, 29, filling a fuel container and purchasing three glass Irn-bru bottles from the BP garage on Inverkip Road.

This was recorded before a petrol bomb attack at a flat on Union Street in the early hours of July 13, 2020.

Drew Darling - Police Scotland (Image: Police Scotland)

We previously reported how Robert Warnock had pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to murder charge after organising three fire attacks on the homes of relatives of two men he believed were involved in a 2019 attack on his brother.

READ MORE: 'You sought to turn Greenock into a warzone': Six men jailed after petrol bombings

Along with Darling, Warnock and his other associates Kieran McAnally, Brendan O'Donnell, Cain Carr, and Craig McFarlane were sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow today.

A man called George Miller was recruited to target the same flat on Union Street on September 14, but he died after setting himself on fire.

The third and final attack was at a flat on Cumberland Road on September 19.

Darling and O'Donnell pleaded guilty to attempted murder relating to involvement in the Union Street attack.

McAnally pleaded guilty to attempted murder over the petrol bombing at Cumberland Street.

Meanwhile, Carr and McFarlane were found guilty of conspiracy to murder.

Speaking after today's sentencing, David Green, procurator fiscal for homicide and major crime, said: “Robert Warnock was the ringleader of a revenge-driven plot to murder two men and endanger the lives of their family and friends.

“His associates were either directly involved in carrying out these cowardly attacks or in arranging or recruiting others to do so.

“Our prosecutors will continue to do our utmost to prosecute those who carry out acts of violence against others and keep the communities we serve safe.”

Meanwhile, Superintendent Douglas Falconer added: “These acts were reckless and deliberate and showed complete disregard for those who could have been hurt as a result.

“This was a complex investigation and it is down to the hard work of officers, partner agencies including the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Inverclyde Council and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, as well as the local community, that we were able to bring these men to justice.”