August 16, 2012

Two teens watched firefighters after setting blaze

By Anne Clarkson

Two 18-year-olds set fire to an abandoned Housing New Zealand house and then went back to watch the firefighters put the fire out.

Craig Alan Cain and Ricki John Sheenan thought the house in Rowses Road, Aranui, was vacant after the earthquakes, and took a flammable liquid and a lighter there, poured it over furniture and set fire to it.

Cain was sentenced on a charge of arson, and one of intentional damage, Sheenan was sentenced on the arson.

Defence counsel Elizabeth Bulger said Cain had an intellectual disability, and she supported the recommendation for him to be put into care.

Andrew McKenzie said Sheenan and Cain were blaming each other, but now both accepted shared responsibility for the fire.

Christchurch District Court Judge Jane Farish said the property was reparable and the offending caused $69,000 worth of damage.

Both teenagers were first offenders, but Cain had also spray painted obscene language on a neighbour’s property, she said.

Cain had an intellectual disability, a risk of re-offending, and needed oversight and considerable assistance, she said, and sentenced him stay to a supervised community care facility for two years. She said he would find it very hard not living with family, but long term would get considerable benefit from the facility. She convicted and discharged him on the intentional damage charge but ordered a reparation payment of $150 for the repairs. She also ordered another reparation payment of $2500 for the arson.

Sheenan was sentenced to eight months home detention, 350 hours community work, and reparation of $2500. Judge Farish said some of the community work could be converted to training for basic living and work skills. She warned him that any breach of the home detention sentence would mean a term of imprisonment.