Heir to a £3m farm, Peter Wallace, caused an entire crowded train to panic after he set Arjuna Rabindranath on fire, who then ran throughout the carriage enflamed in agony.
The Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard that the duo were fans out to celebrate Halloween and were on their way back from the Aberdeen Scottish Premier League fixture on October 31st of 2009.
Wallace, age 24, was said to have been flicking his lighter near Rabindranath’s costume, which was made of wool, until it finally lit up. Prosecutor Mark McGuire stated that suddenly people heard screaming and then saw the man running up and down the carriage.
A passenger that was on the train stated that it was like watching a scene from a horror movie as the victim ran burning throughout the carriage.
Many tossed beer on the outfit in an attempt to put the flames out but to no avail. Rabindranath was taken to a Dunfermline hospital but later had to be transferred to a specialty burns unit in Livingston at the St. John’s Hospital.
The court was told that after the event Wallace went to a police man at the railway station and told him that he was fooling around with a lighter and accidently was the one to set fire to the man.
Rabindranath had second and third degree burns that covered over 40% of his body and extensive smoke damage to his lungs that at some points caused doctors to believe he would not recover. He was ordered to pay £25,000 in compensation to Rabindranath.