Daryl Ness, 19, now has to stay out of direct sunlight for a year and wear sun block, Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard yesterday.

Ness' friend Craig Walker, also 19, told the police that somebody had assaulted Ness with a blowtorch, the court heard.

Ness of Upper Grove Place, Fountainbridge, had pleaded guilty previously to wilfully setting fire to the car in Brandfield Street on August 5th last year.

Walker, of Hermiston Court, had admitted wasting police time by making a false statement. Sentence had been deferred for background reports.

Fiscal, Malcolm Stewart, said Ness had found a petrol canister inside the car, doused the inside of the vehicle with the petrol and lit his lighter.

The petrol vapour exploded back into his face. The two youths went back to Walker's Broomhouse home.

Ness was taken to St John's Hospital in Livingston.

Sheriff Fiona Reith again deferred sentence on the two teenagers to allow a psychological report to be prepared on Ness.