Suspended Sentence On Arson Charge

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31942, 20 March 1969, Page 8

Suspended Sentence On Arson Charge

Roderick Paul Brown, aged 25, an unemployed workman, was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence within two years if called on when he appeared before Mr Justice Wilson in the Supreme Court yesterday for sentence on a charge that on April 20 he wilfully set fire to a house at Springfield Road, the property of Patrick Cornelius Kane. Mr R. A. Young appeared for the Crown and Mr R. L. Kerr appeared for Brown. His Honour said that Brown had to understand he had been convicted of one of the most serious offences in law. It was difficult for the Court to take anything but a very serious view of any arson not only because it was detrimental to property but because it carried an inherent risk to life. The offence, which had occurred almost a year ago, had not been committed, for gain or from a motive of harming the owner. It was rather a senseless reaction to the breaking up of a relationship which had been important to Brown. His Honour said he had to have regard 4o the fact that Brown was not a fit man in any way and he was uneasy about sending him to prison. Brown had shown some very good qualities apart from his tendency To burst out into senseless criminal acts when his environment jaas threatened and the' way of life in which he had

settled was undergoing severe change. Brown was a good worker. There was a risk that in not sending Brown to prison something else might upset him and he would break out in fresh forms of criminal activity.