Girl gets probation for setting Canada Games Centre fire
Girl boasted to friend she got away with a 'bad-ass thing'
CBC News
Posted: Feb 10, 2012 3:32 PM CST
Last Updated: Feb 10, 2012 3:03 PM CST
The blaze at the Canada Games Centre in Whitehorse in June destroyed much of the wall in the back of the centre's Olympic-sized ice arena and caused smoke, soot and water damage throughout the facility. (CBC)
A 13-year-old Whitehorse girl was sentenced to two years of probation Thursday for her role in starting the fire that did $7 million in damage to the Canada Games Centre last year.
She had pleaded guilty to the charge last October. She cannot be named under the terms of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
Territorial Court Judge Michael Cozens refers to her as "S", and says the community might be shocked to find out that "S" boasted to her friend that she got away with a "bad-ass thing," and she'd party when she was older to celebrate what she had done.
She also threatened a witness, then blamed the fire on someone else and minimized it, claiming it wouldn't kill people or affect their lives if they couldn't go swimming.
But Cozens says despite the multimillion dollar consequences, "S" doesn't need to be locked up. He says she's doing well under close supervision and wants her to continue.
He ordered her to stay in school, abide by a curfew and do 240 hours of community service work over the next two years although he acknowledges it will not be possible to compensate the community for its loss.
As part of her probation, she's banned from having a cell phone, a lighter or matches.
She is also ordered to stay away from the games centre, and from another girl involved in starting the fire.
A 12-year-old girl who also pleaded guilty to starting the fire is still waiting to be sentenced.
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