Polish man sentenced to three and a half years in prison for asylum fire

Photo: Gunn Berit Wiik Berg / Strilen / NTB scanpix

A 36 year old Polish national who acknowledged starting a fire at the Lune Huler asylum centre in Hordaland in 2015 has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison.

 

The man was sentenced to six and a half years in prison, but after appealing the verdict, and changing his explanation, the man received a significant penalty reduction from the Gulating Court of Appeal. The man in the appeal case had been charged with deliberate violation of the fire clause.

His one year older brother, formerly the police’s main suspect, was released last week after the other brother assumed all guilt, reported Bergensavisen newspaper.

Two people were sleeping in one of the hotel buildings when the fire broke out on December the 6th, 2015. None were injured.

The youngest brother explained in court that he had the idea to burn the hostel to prevent the establishment of an asylum reception centre for young refugees in the building.

The hostel was being prepared to be used as a temporary reception centre for 40 young asylum seekers, and was only weeks away from receiving its first asylum seekers when it burned down to the ground.

 

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today