Fire did $5000 damage to flat

Press, 12 April 1989, Page 29

Fire did $5000 damage to flat

For setting alight two armchairs, which caused more than $5OOO damage to the lounge of a Christchurch flat, Robert Stephen Howard was sentenced to nine months jail yesterday. Howard, aged 19, an invalid beneficiary, appeared for sentence before Mr Justice Tipping in the High Court, having earlier pleaded guilty before his arson trial.

On the evening of May 9 last year Howard had gone to the St John Street flat of a girlfriend where he used matches to set alight the armchairs. He told the police he felt the flat was unsatisfactory and he set the fire so that the landlord would have to refurbish it.

Mr Craig Ruane, for Howard, said “almost a bizarre series of circumstances” led to the court appearance. The woman had started setting alight the arms of a chair using matches, but had put the fires out. “She put the arms out with rather more alacrity than Howard did.” Howard dealt with matters in a superficial way and did not at the time have much insight into what he was doing.

His Honour said Howard had in lighting the chairs endangered a couple and child living in the adjoining flat.

Arson was a serious crime involving risk to people — in this case the occupants of the other

flat. There was also a risk for those who fought fires.

His Honour said he had to weigh up whether he should jail Howard or impose periodic detention as suggested by Mr Ruane. “Having considered all the features of this case, I am bound to say that I regard this as a crime too serious to be met by a non-custodial sentence. I have the wider public interest to consider.” His Honour said although a psychiatric report indicated the offence was an isolated one and Howard was unlikely to offend again in this way, he had to take the wider deterrent aspect into account.

Mr Raoul Neave appeared for the Crown.