A 59-year-old man from Schoonoord has been sentenced to twenty months in prison for setting fire to his holiday bungalow in Schoonoord. The man started a fire on October 14, 2021 after he first sprinkled the place with gasoline. The penalty is equal to the requirement of the Public Prosecution Service (OM).
The man had a conflict with the new landlord of the property. The tenant had to leave the building. He has rented the accommodation since 2008. Out of pure emotion, the man set the place on fire. He didn’t think about the consequences. The fire was big. The fire brigade let the whole thing burn out in a controlled manner and there was little left of the building and its contents.
Arson is a very serious offense, the judge said. The fire can easily spread to other buildings or trees. This creates feelings of fear and insecurity for local residents. The judge blames the man for that. Moreover, the Schoonoorder has previously been convicted of arson. Even though this was a long time ago: in 2007.
The man has been psychologically examined. The experts suspect personality problems in the field of paranoid and schizophrenia. However, a mental disorder has not been established. And therefore no statement can be made about the man’s accountability.
Weeks prior to the fire, the Schoonoorder reported the destruction of its windows and threats. The man interpreted this as harassment and intimidation. Shortly before the incident, a container was parked in front of the house by the new landlord. The judge can imagine that the man felt intimidated and fearful because of this.
In the punishment, the judge took into account that the Schoonoorder lost his home due to the fire and had to give up his dog. A clinical admission, as advised by the probation service, does not suit the man. This advice was therefore not adopted by the court.