A MAN has been convicted of attempting to murder six people after setting fire to a block of flats in a row over his dog.

Alexander Gay, 45, was furious when his lurcher Ozzie was banned from a New Year party in one of the flats because partygoer Gary Spence was allergic to dogs.

He poured petrol on to the stairs at the common close at Tanfield, Mauchline, East Ayrshire on January 1, and set it alight.

Gay is now in jail after being convicted at the High Court in Glasgow of fireraising and attempted murder.

Judge Lady Wolffe deferred sentence until next month for background reports.

But she told Gay: "You have been found guilty of a serious offence - you are bound to be facing a significant custodial sentence."

There were shouts of "bye bye" from some of the victims and their families as Gay was led away from court.

Francis Brown - who was hosting the Hogmanay party - told how Gay turned up at the party with his dog.

Mr Brown said: "I was not very happy - I don't think you should bring your dog with you for the bells. It was a big dog - very erratic and all over everyone.

"Gary [Spence] was allergic to dogs. He was sneezing and his eyes were watering. Alex was told to go, but come back without his dog."

However, Gay remained at the party with his pet for more than an hour before finally getting up to go.

Mr Brown said he showed him out, but again told Gay that he was welcome to return.

However, the witness added: "The last thing I heard from him was that he would be f****** back."

About an hour later, Gay was caught on CCTV carrying a petrol can and walking towards the flats.

One of the partygoers, David McCann, managed to jump out of a window after the blaze took hold and ran to a neighbour for help.

He said: "Within seconds the whole room was covered in smoke. You couldn't see. We all went to the window. I opened the window and jumped out - it was about nine metres up."

Five others - Mr Spence, Mr Brown, John Caldwell and Melissa Marrs, who were at the party and George Stoba, who was in his own flat next door - had to be rescued.

Mr Spence, 40, suffered 30 per cent burns and lost his sight as a result of the fire. He cannot stand up or wash himself, has little feeling in his arms and legs and requires full-time care.

Mr Stoba, who had blocked coronary arteries, died of a heart attack days after the fire. Originally Gay, from Mauchline, was charged with his murder, but judge Lady Wolffe determined it was unsafe to say his death had been caused by the blaze.

Kerry Salisbury, 24, who was Gay's girlfriend at the time, told the High Court in Glasgow that he confessed to her the next day that he had set the fire.

She told prosecutor David Nicolson: "I asked him if he knew anything about the fire and he told me that he started the fire in the property. I didn't know whether to take it seriously because he had been drinking. He was just back from the pub.

"I was a bit shocked. I couldn't understand what had possessed him to do it."