Teenager receives referral order for fire at London Oratory School

A 16-year-old male received a referral order following his involvement in starting a fire at a Catholic educational institution in west London, an incident that resulted in an estimated £2 million in damages. Authorities declared a major incident when the fire erupted in the atrium of the London Oratory School, located in Fulham, on December 27 of the previous year. The juvenile, whose identity is protected due to his age, was apprehended by law enforcement on the day of the incident. He initially contested an arson charge but subsequently admitted guilt to the offense on September 2. During the trial, he was acquitted of the graver charge of arson with recklessness for endangering life. Prosecutor Angela Mahadeo informed Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court that the fire originated on the fourth floor of the school’s library, necessitating the evacuation of the building and its adjacent vicinity. Previously, the court was informed that the teenager had composed an apology note and placed a 999 emergency call immediately following the fire, but also assaulted a police constable who was responding to the scene by kicking them. Edward Fenner, representing the defense, stated that the youth had gone to the school “seeking to commit suicide.” Mr. Fenner added that the defendant possessed a good character and was experiencing a depressive episode when the offenses occurred. The defendant addressed the judge, stating: “I am sorry and I’m not the same person that I was a year ago.” District Judge Andrew Sweet imposed a 10-month referral order on the defendant and mandated him to pay £100 in compensation to the police officer he had kicked, along with a £26 victim surcharge. Judge Sweet further noted that an evaluation concluded the youth posed a low risk of re-offending, a finding with which he concurred. Ms. Mahadeo read a statement from the school’s headmaster, Daniel Wright, originally penned in May, which indicated that the damage cost at that time was approximately £2 million. Mr. Wright reported that 1,105 students were deprived of five days of on-site instruction after the fire, and 360 students missed 13 days. According to Mr. Wright, the school’s library, along with its collection of 25,000 books, was deemed an insurance write-off. Additionally, 11 classrooms were rendered unusable for periods, and “significant amounts” of science equipment sustained irreparable damage. He concluded by stating: “This incident has caused serious disruption to the school.”