Youth owns up to causing fire damage

A 14-YEAR-OLD Quedgeley boy kicked a flaming football into an old people’s home, starting a fire in the garden.

But when the young teenager saw the damage he had caused the following day he contacted the police and owned up.

He pleaded guilty to arson, when he appeared before District Judge Joti Bopa-Rai at Gloucester Youth Court yesterday. Prosecuting, Peter Ashby said: “The defendant found a foam football and started playing football with a friend at 11.30pm on May 21. He set fire to the football and kicked it over the fence into the garden of an old people’s home. There was fire damage to a hedge, tree and to the fence.”

Lisa Ellis, defending, said: “When he saw the damage the next day he went straight to the police station and owned up. There were no witnesses to the incident but he owned up anyway.

“He realises the seriousness of what he did and he has written a letter of apology to the home.”

The boy was given a three-month referral order and his mother was ordered to pay £40 compensation.