 | 'This was, upon any view, a serious offence which, but for the prompt and efficient action of hotel staff could have had disastrous consequences.' Lady Cosgrove, 24 th March 2006. |  |
| 'This was, upon any view, a serious offence which, but for the prompt and efficient action of hotel staff could have had disastrous consequences.' Lady Cosgrove, 24 th March 2006. | |
Disgraced peer Mike Watson's appeal against the length of his jail term for wilful fire-raising has been refused.
The former Labour MSP for Glasgow Cathcart was sentenced to 16 months for starting a fire and endangering lives at a hotel in Edinburgh in 2004.
Two judges who reviewed the case upheld his conviction on Friday.
Judge Lady Cosgrove said that Watson, 56, should have expected that an offence committed by someone in public office would be "met with rigour".
The incident happened after the Scottish Politician of the Year Awards at the Prestonfield House Hotel, Priestfield Road, in November 2004.
Watson was caught on CCTV crouching down at the base of a curtain just minutes before it was engulfed in flames.
Sentencing him in September 2005, Edinburgh Sheriff Kathrine Mackie told Watson that a report indicated there was a significant risk of him re-offending.
Watson had admitted starting the blaze, however, he said he was too drunk to remember the incident and a psychiatric report prepared for the court said he had developed a serious drink problem.
After an appeal hearing lasting less than an hour, Lady Cosgrove and Gordon Nicholson QC ruled that the sentence was within the appropriate range available to the sheriff and that it should stand.
Lady Cosgrove said: "The commission of a serious criminal offence by a person in his privileged position must be met with rigour if public confidence in the law and these institutions is to be maintained."
Watson's counsel, Chris Shead, told the judges that the risk assessment had played a significant part in the sheriff's sentence. He produced a psychologist's report criticising the assessment.
Lady Cosgrove said: "This was, upon any view, a serious offence which, but for the prompt and efficient action of hotel staff could have had disastrous consequences for the building and, more importantly, for the lives of guests and staff within the hotel at the time.
However, she said the court accepted that the defence psychologist's report "casts doubt on the validity of the risk assessment"
It has been estimated that Watson could be released from prison at the end of May.
Watson, a former Scottish Executive minister, had initially denied responsibility.
However, after pleading guilty he stepped down as an MSP. That triggered a by-election, which was won by Labour's Charlie Gordon with a reduced majority.
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