A man who pleaded guilty to setting a fire in a Prince George apartment building has been sentenced to time in a federal prison.
Aaron Christopher Stanyer was sentenced to 876 days for the Oct. 27, 2019 incident.
Although it turned out to be a small fire, it could easily have gotten out of control, provincial court judge Michael Brecknell told Stanyer in issuing the term on Jan. 30.
According to a reasons for sentencing, Stanyer was on drugs at the time and had lit the blaze as a way to try to protect himself rather than to try to hurt anyone or force them out of their homes.
But that held little sway with Brecknell who noted it was lit during the early morning when residents were asleep and that victims tend to die from smoke inhalation caused by breathing in the toxic fumes that fires often generate.
However, he commended Stanyer for pleading guilty to a count of arson in relation to inhabited property before a date for trial was set and endorsed a joint submission on sentencing from Crown and defence lawyers.
Stanyer, who had remained in custody since his arrest, received credit of 144 days time served prior to sentencing, leaving him with two years plus a day left to serve.
Stanyer had asked for the term so he could serve the remainder in a federal facility where he believes he can get better help in terms of counselling and programs.
