Ex-soldier caught on CCTV in Livingston police station petrol bomb attack

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Jamie Taylor, a 34-year-old former soldier from Bo’ness, has admitted to endangering the life of a police officer during a petrol bomb attack at the Livingston police station in West Lothian. On 30 May 2025, Taylor threw three molotov cocktails at police vans outside the station. Prior to the incident, he had informed his mother that he intended to “blow up Livingston Police station,” according to court reports.

CCTV footage presented at the High Court in Edinburgh captured the moment Taylor, who was hooded, launched the petrol bombs. One of these bombs exploded on the ground, narrowly missing PC Kirsty Forsyth. She bravely intervened by rushing outside with a fire extinguisher to tackle the flames. PC Forsyth’s colleagues then pursued Taylor, who was apprehended nearby lying next to a bush and smelling strongly of fuel.

During the hearing, it was revealed that Taylor had eight prior convictions and was temporarily staying with his mother at the time of the attack. Prosecutor Wojciech Jajdelski described how Taylor had called his mother earlier on the same day, saying he had “a bag full of vodka bottles filled with petrol.” Taylor pleaded guilty to breaching the 1883 Explosives Act and recklessly throwing a petrol bomb at PC Forsyth.

Taylor’s defence lawyer, Iain McSporran KC, highlighted that his client suffers from serious mental health issues partially linked to his military service. He also commended PC Forsyth’s composure during the ordeal, stating: “She seemed to remain extremely cool in the circumstances.” Inspector Lindsey McIntyre from Police Scotland condemned the attack as a “totally reckless act” that put officers and staff at the station at serious risk. She emphasized the fundamental right of officers to return home safely after each shift and that no one should be targeted in this way. Taylor is due to be sentenced at the High Court in Stirling in January

Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More

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