Fife woman tells of 'barbaric and ruthless' fire attack which murdered partner

In a statement read out on the steps of the High Court in Edinburgh today (Friday), Rebecca Williams said Cameron Logan had “died in the most cruel way in front of my eyes”.

Ms Williams, who said she was lucky to have survived, still suffers physical and psychological trauma.

The statement came after Blair Logan was given a life sentence with a minimum jail term of 20 years before he can be considered for parole.

Logan (27) poured petrol on his younger brother Cameron (23), and the bed he was sharing with Ms Williams as they slept at their family home in Milngavie in the early hours of January 1 this year.

Ms Williams, from Wormit, was rescued from the fire and treated in hospital, while Logan’s parents were treated for smoke inhalation.

Logan pleaded guilty to a charge of murder and attempted murder at the High Court in Glasgow on Friday, July 21.

After his arrest, Logan told police: “I didn’t want to kill him.”

Defence lawyer Shelagh McCall QC said Logan showed “wicked recklessness” but did not intend to kill his brother.

He was said to have “felt physically sick at the whole thing”.

Logan has been subject to two psychiatric reports which concluded there was not sufficient evidence for a plea of diminished responsibility.

Ms McCall said there were “unusual traits” in Logan’s personality and that he had a lack of understanding of the impact of his actions on other people.

Advocate Depute Alex Prentice said the accused admitted pouring petrol “with the intention of maiming or crippling” his brother.

The attack was said to be in retaliation for a recent incident at the house when his brother had punched him.

The two brothers had a “hostile” relationship and Logan told police they had not spoken since the death of their grandmother in 2013.

Ms Williams suffered burns to her arms and face, and needed a skin graft on one of her hands.

She also suffered damage to her throat, vocal cords and lungs and has undergone surgery four times, including a tracheotomy procedure.

She may not be able to return to work as a broadcast journalist due to the damage caused.

Rebecca’s full statement, read out by her father, said: “I find it almost impossible to put into words the devastating impact this cowardly act has had upon me and my family.

“Cameron was my best friend and partner. He was a caring, respectful and loving man who I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.

“He had great ambitions to join the police force and was working hard towards building our future together, a future that has now been stolen from us.

“The horror of what happened in that room will haunt me forever. It was a calculated and intentional attack. Cameron died in the most cruel way in front of my eyes. I can only imagine the pain and suffering he will have experienced in his final moments.

“I wish more than anything that I could have saved him. I consider myself very lucky to have survivied. I cannot thank Cameron’s dad Dave and his neighbour John Weir enough for risking their lives to rescue me from the house.

“I am still struggling physical and psychological trauma as a result of the fire. In many ways I will never recover and I it will be years before I can get to some form of normality. It is still unknown if I will ever be able to return to the job I love.

I’m very grateful for the care and support from my colleagues and friends at Global Radio, especially the team in the news room.

“This terrible crime has been very painful for everyone involved. Cameron had a lot of close friends who still struggle to come to terms with the violent nature of his death.

“My family and I would like to thank the fire and ambulance crews who attended on New Year’s morning and the medical and nursing staff of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow Royal Infirmary and Ninewells Hospital in Dundee. They all played their part in saving my life and continue to deliver outstanding care.

“We would also like to thank the police service for working tirelessly on our behalf.

“All have been a great support through this very distressing time.

“I’d like to thank personally my mum, dad and sister Jess, as well as my close friends and wider family for their love and constant understanding over the last several months. They keep me strong.

“The actions of one evil individual cannot be undone. The length of the sentence imposed today was never going to be enough for such a barbaric and ruthless murder. Nothing can ever bring back my beloved Cameron.”