The court of Aveiro this Wednesday announced the recognized culprit of the fire that occurred in Mealhada in 2019, and sentenced him to a measure of restraint in the form of internment for a period of three to 12 years with a suspension of execution.
The defendant, charged with the forest fire, was found not responsible for suffering from a “mental anomaly” and therefore was not “in a position to assess the wrongfulness of his actions.”
The court also recognized the defendant as dangerous, deciding to apply a preventive measure in the form of placement in a medical institution for a period of three to 12 years with a deferral of execution, subject to a number of rules, including the continuation of treatment.
The criminal case took place on 7 September in a forested area near the industrial area of Viadores, in Mealhada, Aveiro district, at a time when firefighters were extinguishing a major fire in the same municipality.
The prosecutor’s office (MP) indictment states that a 36-year-old man, a resident of the neighboring municipality of Anadia, set fire to the existing undergrowth there while waiting for firefighters, next to a restaurant, to watch the fight against the fire.
The fire, which was fought by 54 operatives from Mealhada, Vagos and Anadia corporations supported by 15 vehicles, two Firebox aircraft and two helicopters, destroyed an area of 0.1295 hectares of forest, eucalyptus and other species bordering urban areas. This is a company.
The deputy also says that the fire would have taken on more serious proportions if it were not for the prompt intervention by military means.
The man was detained by the Judicial Police (SP) on 8 September outside the scene of the crime.
At the time, the SP stated that the suspect “did not demonstrate any rational motives that would lead him to the practical application of the facts under investigation”, demonstrating “clearly preoccupation with the activities of firefighters extinguishing fires.”
The man was taken into custody after the first judicial interrogation, but was released in November, since the risk of continuing criminal activity was practically zero.