Judge Wanted To Be Harder On Little Pine Arsonist

Judge Wanted To Be Harder On Little Pine Arsonist

Friday, September 17, 2010 at 14:54

A North Battleford judge says the Youth Criminal Justice Act prevents him from giving a 15-year-old arsonist the tougher sentence he would like to give him.

Yesterday, the boy pleaded guilty to burning down two homes on the Little Pine First Nation this spring, and committing several thefts this summer.

Provincial Court Judge David Kaiser sentenced him to 12 months probation and 25 hours of community service.

He also prohibited him from possessing any lighters or fire accelerants.

Kaiser said he was so upset by the damage the youth caused that he would have liked to have imposed a much tougher sentence.

Kaiser added what the boy did was “absolutely stupid”, and noted that the residents of those homes not only lost a place to live, but also all their valuables and treasured memories.