A 45-year-old man appeared before the Diekirch District Court on charges of arson, after confessing to setting fire to the attic of a hotel in 2023 and, earlier, to the terrace of a chalet at the Grondhaff campsite in 2019.
During the trial, the prosecutor cited the defendant's own words from a police interview: "I am an idiot, you are right. I have a problem with fire." The prosecution recalled that the man already had a previous conviction for arson. Among the aggravating circumstances, the prosecutor noted that 23 people were present in the studio hotel at the time of the most recent blaze. "It is a miracle that nothing worse happened", the prosecutor said. Both fires, including the one at the campsite, were started at night, further increasing the risk to occupants.
The prosecution argued that the defendant's difficulties extended beyond fire-setting, involving alcoholism and an inability to handle frustration. "When these three factors come together, it creates a real danger for those around him", the prosecutor said. The defendant was not only alcohol-dependent, but heavily intoxicated when both arsons took place. A psychiatric expert concluded that the defendant's capacity for self-control was mildly impaired as a result.
The defence lawyer challenged the psychiatric findings, stressing that a blood alcohol level of 2.75 promille was measured after the hotel fire – demonstrating substantial impairment at the time. The lawyer, who has represented the defendant for twenty years, described his client as highly intelligent when sober and said, "He knows that he has ruined his life."
The defence also emphasised the defendant's fundamental decency, describing him as a respectful and sympathetic individual who often helped others – for example, supporting the campsite manager during health problems, or helping hotel residents replace medicines lost in the fire. "He does not set fires for pleasure, but because he is ill", the lawyer maintained, insisting on the need for proper therapy, both during and after any prison sentence, to ensure his client's rehabilitation.
Addressing the court, the defendant apologised once more, saying he had spent months reflecting on the suffering he caused his neighbours. He said he was determined to continue treatment in prison and after his release.
The verdict is expected on 14 January.
