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Photo: Josef Horazny/ CTK/ AP
A court in Béziers, southern France, has sentenced a former volunteer firefighter to two years in prison for arson.
A year of the sentence was suspended on probation, according to a statement.
At the beginning of August, the 33-year-old appeared suspicious twice on the same day to firefighters who had responded to fires in nature.
The man, who was drunk when arrested, confessed to starting one of the fires.
500 square meters of forest were affected, the emergency services were able to quickly extinguish the fire.
The man apologized for his actions.
He acted under the influence of alcohol.
»Complex character«
The defense attorney had tried to explain the act with the "complex character" of his client, as reported by the France 3 broadcaster.
The man may suffer from a borderline disorder, but is still aware of what he has done.
According to his own statements, the convict was a volunteer firefighter from 2008 to 2011.
However, his lawyer explained that he had developed a fear of fire and therefore gave up the activity.
It is therefore impossible that he set the fire out of joy or even excitement.
The convict was ordered to treat his drinking addiction, to work and to pay for the damages incurred.
In addition, the man, who lives in another region of France, has not been allowed to go to the Hérault department, where he set the fire, for five years.
jpz/dpa