Kortrijk man sentenced to three years for setting fire to Harelbeke youth center

A youth center in Harelbeke burned down after an intruder broke in during the early hours of March 13. A court has now sentenced a 38-year-old man from Kortrijk to three years in prison for the burglary and arson.

The fire at De Salamander began behind the bar and spread to the third floor, destroying the building. Security footage showed a hooded man forcing open a window and searching cabinets and drawers during the night. After finding no money in the cash box, he filled a backpack with bottles from the refrigerator.

The man was arrested at his home the day after the fire. Police found him wearing the same shoes and carrying the same backpack seen in the footage. The backpack still contained beer bottles and a lighter. He said he had found the backpack and denied any connection with the fire.

He did not attend the trial, but his lawyer asked for an acquittal, arguing that little could be seen in the footage. The judge found the evidence sufficient and imposed an effective three-year prison term.

The man must also pay more than €8,000 in damages to the Fluvia fire service zone and €250 to a firefighter whose phone was damaged.

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There is barely anything to see in the camera footage.