The man suspected of lighting the school fires in Oss has not been convicted. There was too little evidence. The court did find evidence that he set fire to a trash can, stole a lighter from a car and drove recklessly. Now the man has been told what punishment he will receive for this: he must go to jail for fifty days, but will not be sentenced to TBS. And that’s what experts had advised.
“Yes, I was angry. I started the school fires,” De Ossenaar told the court at the beginning of this year. He is talking about the wave of fires in primary schools in Oss, which were probably started. Three in two months. A big shock in Oss. But later he pulls his shit. “I read about the school fires at Omroep Brabant,” he turns around. “But I didn’t start them.”
Lack of evidence
The man was on trial for allegedly setting fire to two primary schools and a trash can in the park. He also allegedly broke into a car, stole a lighter from it and drove recklessly.
In the end, he was sentenced for all but the school fires. Because even if his DNA was found on the fences of the schools, there is still not enough evidence that he left it during the crime. And even though his phone has been near the burning primary schools, the same applies to that. Too little evidence.
Expert advice
The final sentence was delayed because the investigation was not yet completed. However, there was already advice from psychologists and the probation service, who advised TBS with compulsory treatment. According to them, it is only effective under duress, because he is not very motivated or cooperative.
According to them, Mr. has an autistic spectrum disorder, with a mild intellectual disability and a mild neurocognitive disorder. But whether he is also a pyromaniac has not been determined.
Too intense
The court finds the advice for TBS with compulsory treatment too harsh. Four years of compulsory treatment for a trash can fire, car theft and reckless driving are disproportionate to them. In addition, they think that his behavior will not change so quickly.
However, the Ossenaar is not allowed to get behind the wheel for two years and he will go to prison for fifty days, with another 100 days conditionally if he goes wrong again.
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