Twenty-year-olds James Lewis-Saunders and Graham Shepherd, and 18-year-old John Munro were paid to burn down the Taj Mahal in Castletown on April 21 this year.

Lewis-Saunders, of Fraser Street, Golspie, and Shepherd, of Kirkside, Alness, were each sent to detention for three years while Munro, of Kirkhill, Wick, got two years.

They were appearing for sentence at Wick Sheriff Court having previously admitted wilful fire-raising.

The court heard the building was destroyed in the fierce overnight blaze which left restauranteur Yasim Miah with uninsured losses of about £150,000.

Senior fiscal depute David Barclay said Lewis-Saunders was pressurised by another individual several months previously to set fire to the restaurant for £1000. He had subsequently recruited Shepherd and bought the petrol used to start he blaze.

Munro was approached a few days before the fire and agreed to take part after Shepherd took cold feet. The latter had a rethink and all three got a lift through to Castletown on the evening of April 21 from Wick, where they were all living at the time.

The trio waited in a house until after midnight when the restaurant closed before gaining access through a wooden side panel, off a side alley.

Mr Barclay said: "The Crown accepts that those involved had no intention of harming any person. It was purely the premises that they were targeting."

The fiscal said the fire quickly took seat and was followed by an explosion which showered glass from the windows onto the adjoining main road through the village.

The Taj Mahal, Mr Barclay said, had proved a successful business after opening in November 2007.

While the owner had buildings insurance, Mr Miah had not taken out cover for its contents.

Police recovered two fuel containers near a side doorway of the burnt-out building, together with a mobile phone belonging to Munro.

Doctors later found superficial burns on the forehead of Shepherd and Munro's right ankle. All three initially denied involvement but subsequently made full admissions and have offered to give evidence against a fourth accused.

Police recovered £800 of the £1000 paid to Lewis-Saunders and £387 of the £400 paid to Munro. The cash has since been forfeited.

Morag Stevenson, for Lewis-Saunders, said he had been cajoled into becoming involved in the crime.

She said: "He was subjected to quite a lengthy period of intimidation from the other individual.

"He was very frightened for the safety of both himself and his family though he accepts that he should have reported this to the authorities."

Miss Stevenson said Lewis-Saunders accepts his role as the organiser and deeply regrets his actions.

He suffers from the cognitive disorder ADHD and at the time was taking illegal substances which "possibly reduced his capacity to think clearly".

Lewis-Saunders had the presence of mind to turn off the gas supply to the restaurant to prevent the risk of the fire spreading to the adjoining petrol station.

Miss Stevenson added that her client had handed himself into the police station several days after the fire.

His involvement in the blaze, she said, had served as a "wake-up call" to Lewis-Saunders who has since not taken drugs.

Craig Wood, for Shepherd, said the fire would have happened with or without his participation.

Mr Wood said: "He was offered £500 to become involved and he very foolishly agreed. He was unemployed and short of money and saw this as a way forward."

Shepherd's role on the night was to act as lookout while the other two had gone into the restaurant to start the fire.

Andrew Lyall, for Munro, said his client suffers from ADHD and dyslexia.

Mr Lyall said: "He's easily led and not altogether able to understand all his actions. He acknowledges the seriousness of the offence and accepts his responsibility."

Munro had at one stage pulled out of the enterprise only to commit himself again "against his better judgement".

Mr Lyall said: "He is very low down the food chain. He was someone who was recruited and should have had more sense."

Sheriff Alasdair MacFadyen said no other disposal but custody was open to him.

He said: "Wilful fire-raising is a very serious crime. This case involved a premeditated and effective complete destruction of a property which has brought to an end a successful business.

"Matters are made worse by it being carried out in return for cash."

Addressing Lewis-Saunders, the sheriff said: "You were the prime mover - you planned the crime and recruited your criminal colleagues."

He told Shepherd that he had foolishly agreed to become involved in the venture.

He said his position is aggravated by a significant record.

Turning to Munro, he said: "You're significantly younger than the others. I'm told you have cognitive difficulties and are easily led, and I accept you have a limited record but you deliberately and foolishly took part in this crime."

iain-grant@ukf.net

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