A homeless man who accidentally set fire to the beach patrol’s hut has been spared jail.
Lewis Hiles, 24, started a fire on Brighton beach on December 1, 2022, to keep warm but the flames spread to Brighton Beach Patrol’s beach hut.
Firefighters arrived to put out the blaze, but the hut was almost destroyed, with £1,872 worth of damage caused.
On Thursday, 4 April, he was given a 12-month community order for arson, as well as criminal damage to Melissa Ellis’s wall, both of which he admitted.
This was the latest in a succession of court hearings in connection with the two offences.
Hiles, of Coombe Road, Brighton, had initially pleaded guilty to both on 16 November last year, and was due to be sentenced on 17 January.
But he was unrepresented at that hearing, and after hearing his mitigation, the bench asked a duty solicitor to speak to him in case he wanted to change his plea.
The case was adjourned as it was not clear if he was eligible for legal aid, and relisted on 14 February, but legal aid had not been sorted by then. It was again adjourned until 5 March, but again, no legal aid had been arranged.
Finally, on 4 April, legal aid had still not been arranged but Hiles decided to stick with his guilty plea and represent himself.
Deputy District Judge Jennifer Twite gave him a 12-month community order including 25 rehabilitation activity days, 60 hours of unpaid work, and 12 sessions of mental health treatment.
She also ordered him to pay £230 compensation to Ms Ellis for the damaged plasterboard and £300 to Brighton and Hove City Council for the beach hut.
This article highlights a real danger that this man would not be able to make a fair representation of his actions due too his status of being homeless.
I wasn’t present for the final hearing as I was in a different courtroom, so I don’t know the detail of why the legal aid hadn’t been arranged.
But at the hearing I did attend, back in January, the question of his eligibility wasn’t anything to do with being homeless or not – and he’s been giving the same address to court since then, so I’m fairly confident he is now housed. I believe the question was over income.
Interesting, thank you Jo. It does make me wonder – if he had legal representation, would his sentencing look significantly different?
I am Melissa Ellis, he didn’t just damage my walls, he destroyed my room, stole my money, assaulted me, he told the police he hit the walls so he wouldn’t hit me but I still came away with cuts and bruises and severe trauma that has changed my life. The police failed in their part to charge him with assault due to a filing issue, I received a letter of apology from them for there part in making the whole situation harder.
Shocking to hear what you have been trough and that you haven’t been supported. People who are violent to women usually escalate their behaviour, and I feel dreaded thinking about his next victim. Saying that it’s better to do damage to your home than to beat you up is his defence!? I hope you get better.