the fire had spread, a man in custody

A young 25-year-old from Angers, already convicted four times for acts of damage, including a fire, was tried again this Friday, November 15 for having set fire to a dozen cars. Between November 4 and 13, he allegedly set fire to several vehicles in the town of Angers (Maine-et-Loire), causing the flames to spread to other vehicles and causing significant damage to parking lots, including that by Montaigne.

During the immediate appearance hearing this Friday, the defendant denied the facts, an element thus adding to the complexity of a case which involves numerous victims and raises questions about his mental health. Faced with these difficulties, the Angers judicial court was forced to postpone the case to a later date, limiting itself to ruling on the security measure to be taken with regard to the defendant.

A “lack of questioning”

The prosecutor stressed that, given the defendant’s criminal record, his continued detention was necessary, citing in particular his “lack of questioning”. The defendant’s lawyer argued in favor of an obligation of care rather than pre-trial detention.

Following the prosecution’s requisitions, the court ordered continued detention until the referral hearing, set for December 26, 2024 at 1:30 p.m.