Clara Sibanda successfully prosecutes man charged with Attempted Arson With Intent to Endanger Life

Clara Sibanda, instructed by the prosecution successfully prosecuted a defendant charged with Arson with Intent to Endanger Life. The charges  arose after a brief hostile interaction with the victim at a busy A&E department when the Defendant lit barbecue blocks and attempted to set the victim alight.

A security guard intervened, preventing any real harm from befalling the victim, and a member of the public extinguished the fire.

The victim refused to give evidence so the case was prosecuted based on audio-less CCTV and the testimony of the security guard and a lay witness.

The defendant had pleaded guilty to the reckless version of the offence, citing intoxication to the point where he could not have formed the requisite intent.

The Crown proceeded on the more serious ‘with intent’ version and he was duly convicted.

17th January 2025