The Leslieville Elks Hall was destroyed by fire on Dec. 29, 2017. (Photo: Scott Finkbiner)

By Adam Ophus

three years later

Sentence handed down in 2017 fire that destroyed Leslieville Elks Hall

Oct 22, 2020 | 9:53 AM

Nearly three years later after the Leslieville Elks Hall burned to the ground, the court case for a male suspect charged in the incident has wrapped up.

The suspect, who cannot be named because he was 17-years-old at the time of the incident, pleaded guilty Wednesday in a Rocky Mountain House courtroom to one count of mischief. He had originally been charged with arson.

It was just after 7 p.m. on December 29, 2017 when police and fire crews responded to a structure fire at the Elks Hall in Leslieville. No one was in the hall at the time of the fire.

Court heard on Wednesday that a male youth had walked to a nearby liquor store after the fire started, looked to be in rough shape and smelt of smoke.

The youth was later found in a nearby alley and RCMP seized his clothing as evidence. Further investigation found what were described as “accelerants” on his clothing. He was later charged with arson.

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The defendant’s lawyer acknowledged that his client did start the fire that destroyed the hall, but said it was not his intent to burn the building. He said the suspect and two other friends, who were drunk at the time, had taken shelter in a shed behind the hall and had started a fire that grew out of control.

The lawyer said they tried to put out the fire themselves but were unable to, and that the only accelerant the suspect was possessing at the time was alcohol.

“It was reckless, but not intentional,” the lawyer said.

The judge sentenced the youth to 12 months’ probation with conditions, including that he undergo counselling, not attend any Elks Hall rebuilding in the community, and meet with a probations officer.