$500,000 fire brings man periodic detention

Press, 27 September 1983, Page 6

$500,000 fire brings man periodic detention

PA Dunedin A man who caused a $500,000 fire which destroyed an old Dunedin paper mill earlier this year, was sentenced to nine months periodic detention and 21 months probation when he appeared in the High Court at Dunedin on Friday.

Mr Justice Hardie Boys told Dene Alexander Matheson, aged 22, that the offence seemed to have all the hallmarks of a boy playing with matches.

It was a silly prank which got out of hand and, as a result, caused about $500,000 worth of damage to the building, and to stock and plant owned by two companies leasing space there. Matheson, represented by Mr M. R. D. Guest, was originally charged with arson but the Crown later reduced this charge and Matheson pleaded guilty to wilfully setting fire to material in the-building on May 11, knowing that the building, owned by

Whitcoulls, was likely to catch fire. Mr Guest told His Honour in submissions on sentencing, that immense harm would be done to a person of Matheson’s psychological make-up if he was sent to prison. Matheson had accepted responsibility for his actions and Mr Guest said the blaze had been an accident, although Matheson deliberately lit the initial fire inside the building. When he saw what was happening, he had made strenuous attempts to extinguish the blaze.

For the Crown, Mr R. P. Bate, said the offence was a very serious case involving massive damage to the building and contents, as well as a great expense for the fire service. A number of firemen received injuries during the fire-fighting, although none of these was serious.

Mr Bates said that although there might have been some lack of intelli-

gence on the part of Matheson, there was no diminished responsibility. Matheson knew what he was doing when he initially lit the fire.

His Honour said he was prepared to accept there had been no intention on Matheson’s part to cause a major fire. He said it seemed inconceivable that Matheson had not appreciated his stupidity and the danger in what he was doing, although psychological reports indicated that he apparently did not. A combination of excessive alcohol with various problems afflicting Matheson, put the offence at the lower level of criminality. Warning Matheson to do something about his serious alcoholism problem, His Honour imposed a sentence of periodic detention and probation with special conditions that the defendant live and work where directed, and take treatment for his alcoholism as directed by the probation officer.