A man who tried to murder a woman by dousing her in lighter fluid and setting her alight has been jailed.

Stewart Watson left Anne Crossan badly burned and in an induced coma after the fire attack in West Lothian.

At the High Court in Edinburgh on Friday, the 36-year-old was jailed for eight and a half years for attempting to murder Ms Crossan.

When he was being sentenced by Lord Bannatyne, he began clapping in the dock, which led to the judge threatening to impose an extra prison term for contempt of court.

Lord Bannatyne described his conduct as disgraceful but did not impose a separate sentence.

The judge said: "It is difficult to imagine how terrifying this must have been for the complainer. The results of the assault were appalling.

"This assault was on an entirely innocent person. The assault was clearly premeditated."

He added only a substantial period of imprisonment was appropriate to deal with the crime.

Watson attacked 47-year-old Ms Crossan at her home in Polbeth on September 4 last year.

An earlier trial heard he threw the flammable liquid over her head and body before lighting it, leaving he with burns to the left side of her body.

She was taken to St John's Hospital in Livingston, where she was placed in to an induced coma while she was treated for burns.

The trial heard that before the incident, Ms Crossan had contacted Watson's then-girlfriend with information relating to him.

The victim said Watson turned up at her door saying he wanted to talk to her after breaking up with his girlfriend but when she opened the door he attacked her.

Outside the court after the sentence was passed, Ms Crossan said: "I feel as though a chip has been lifted off my shoulder. I just feel relieved."

Police found lighter fluid on trainers Watson was wearing on the night of the attack and two cans of similar fluid were recovered at his home in the West Lothian village. One of them empty.

Defence solicitor advocate Mike Bell said his client was resigned to received a long prison sentence.

Watson, who has a previous conviction for fire-raising, had spent periods in hospital, Mr Bell told the court.

The defence lawyer said of the attack: "It must have been a terrifying experience."