A Lanarkshire businesswoman involved in a long-standing feud had two of her cars destroyed in a firebomb attack outside her home.
The mystery blaze at Margo Wilson's Uddingston mansion home, shared with husband James, led to an Audi car and Ford Transit van were completely destroyed.
The fire occurred just two miles from Bothwell restaurant San Vincenzo, which was repeatedly raided and set on fire in recent years. Owner Vincent Marini was forced to sell the restaurant due to the incessant attacks, accepting a cut-price £458,000 for the building at a property auction last month, the Daily Record reports.
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A source told the Record: “When San Vincenzo opened in Bothwell in 2018 it was seen as a big deal for the village, as it had a proper chef and a loads of tables.
“But within a few months there were cars ram-raiding the premises and it was being set on fire.
“Bothwell has been the centre of so many car firebombs in the last couple of years, it’s hard to believe and it’s impossible to work out what is behind it all.
“It has turned a peaceful village into a war zone and local people are sick of it.”
In a case at Hamilton Sheriff Court last year, Wilson faced claims from Vincent Marini that she had hired a hitman to put him “in a suit” - meaning kill him - which she denied and claimed Marini had "a lot of enemies."
The trial related to the alleged theft of signs and canopies at the restaurant by Wilson and two other men, but prosecutors later dropped the charges.
A feud between the two allegedly began after a minor planning dispute regarding a flat owned by Wilson above the restaurant. Wilson claimed there was damage to her flat due to building work ahead of the restaurant opening.
She said she spent more than £100,000 taking legal action against Marini and claimed damage caused by unauthorised work left her with a roof repair bill of up to £20,000.
San Vincenzo was sold in September with sellers Auction House Scotland describing the property as a ‘fantastic commercial development’ but warned of extensive internal damage due to the fires.
They added: “The internal accommodation has been extensively fire damaged and vandalised throughout and requires a full programme of works to return to its former glory.
“This is an exciting opportunity for an investor/developer to undertake the required works and create a fabulous business within a prestigious catchment area.”
Emergency services rushed to the restaurant for the fifth time in June this year after a car was found in flames outside.
Earlier this year in March, police and the fire service were called just before midnight amid reports of another blaze.
Shortly before the restaurant was forced to close in October 2019, a red Vauxhall Corsa was driven through a window before being set on fire.
In September 2019 another vehicle was torched outside the property.
And in June of that year a pick-up truck was captured on CCTV as it smashed through a window straight into the restaurant before speeding off.
In March 2020, Marini claimed there was a ‘sustained effort’ to drive him out of business and he posted on Facebook, ‘Sadly, they won’.
Last June Glasgow High Court heard how Margo Wilson was caught up in a £100,000 blackmail plot.
Her daughter’s Noreen’s partner, Graham Martin, 29, flew into a rage after discovering partner Noreen had texted an ex.
He attacked Noreen, 31, then sent a text to Margo saying: “I want £100,000 or I’m slitting her throat.”
He attacked Noreen, 31, then sent a text to Margo saying: “I want £100,000 or I’m slitting her throat.”
Martin was later jailed for six-and-a-half years for assault and attempted extortion.
At Margo Wilson’s home a man who answered the door to a Daily Record reporter closed it again without making comment.
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