It may seem like a harmless prank, but setting fire to
something, even a pile of rubbish, could have dire
consequences.
For a start, firefighters will have to
extinguish the flames, meaning their attention is potentially
diverted from another fire where someone’s life could be at
risk. Fire can spread quickly and be unpredictable so a small
fire can quickly become an inferno with disastrous
consequences.
Then there is the criminal side of
arson. The maximum sentence is life imprisonment and any
arson conviction stays on your record for the rest of your
life. A conviction for arson will seriously affect your job
prospects as it would have to be mentioned on applications and it
also prevents travel to some countries, including the
USA.
And with the police and fire service working
closely together in Cambridgeshire, the chances of arsonists being
caught are high. When arson trends are spotted in
particular areas, they join together with other agencies to catch
the person responsible and prevent further fires. Fire
officers who attend fires are also trained to gather evidence to
pass onto investigating police officers.
Anyone with information about arson should
call police on 101.
Case studies
In March 2011, a 17-year-old boy, who was part
of a gang that set fire to sheds in Orton Goldhay, Peterborough,
was ordered to pay £400 in compensation to victims and given a six
month referral order, meaning he will have to attend regular
supervision appointments.
In October 2011, two teenage boys who started
a fire that took hold of a village post office were sentenced to
strict supervision orders. The boys, aged 14 and 16, admitted
setting fire to a toilet roll in a large commercial wheelie bin
near to the store in Town Green Road, Orwell, on March 5. The fire
spread to the shop and neighbouring homes. They pleaded guilty to
recklessly setting fire to the bin, plus the criminal damage of two
nearby cars. At Cambridge Crown Court, both boys were sentenced to
a two year referral order with two years’ supervision from the
Youth Offending Team.