Two years for Garrison District firebug

City tourism workers traumatized by danger posed by blaze, loss of personal items - judge

The homeless man who set a fire deliberately in March, causing a blaze that ruined a historical building and office space caused plenty of emotional damage as well as physical, a judge said Thursday.

Cole Christopher Harris, 29, of no fixed address, appeared in Fredericton provincial court remotely from the Saint John Regional Correctional Centre on Thursday to hear Judge Mélanie Poirier LeBlanc’s decision 

The Militia Arms Storehouse, which had served as the officers of Tourism Fredericton until a March 12, remains boarded up and slated for demolition. (Photo: Don MacPherson/The Fredericton Independent)

The offender had previously pleaded guilty to counts of arson and probation violation stemming from a fire he set on the back deck of the historic Militia Arms Storehouse in the city’s Garrison District the afternoon of March 12.

Court heard at his sentencing hearing Wednesday that Harris had set fire to the belongings of Mark Janes, who was similarly living on the streets, which were in a cart on the back deck of the building, which served as office space for Tourism Fredericton.