A man who admitted starting a fire on the Railway Trial was sentenced to 18 months behind bars yesterday.

William Carlos Astwood, 58, plead guilty to a single count of arson in connection with an incident that took place in January 2022.

While Puisne Judge Juan Wolffe said the case was at the lower end of the scale, as there were no injuries and minimal damage, he noted that Astwood had amassed 35 convictions since 1987 and had refused community supervision.

Astwood told the court that he did not want a period of probation because he intended to move away from Bermuda, but Mr Justice Wolffe warned him that if he did not address his issues, they would follow him.

“If you are planning on going away and relocating, that’s a matter for you, but whatever help you need you should probably get it before you go anywhere,” the judge said.

“Your troubles are not going to remain in Bermuda. They go with you.”

The court heard that at about 10.30am on January 19 last year police received a report of arson on White Sands Road in Paget.

When officers arrived, they were told by the complainant that a CCTV camera at his house had recorded someone staring a fire where he had left his household trash for collection at the junction with the Railway Trail.

The footage showed a man with a brown cap and a blue-and-white jacket set an object alight and place it under a paper bag near the trash.

The fire slowly spread until it was spotted by two people walking along the trail.

The walkers told the complainant, who put out the fire with a garden hose before it could spread farther.

Astwood was arrested later that day after police spotted him in the same clothes worn by the suspect.

He initially denied the offence, telling the police: “Arson? I didn’t commit arson. I know the law. You all are harassing me.”

However, he subsequently pleaded guilty to the offence.

Astwood claimed in a social inquiry report that he had started the fire as retaliation to perceived harassment by the complainant, but that he had since accepted that he had acted improperly and should have taken his complaint to the police.

However, the court heard there was no evidence Astwood had been harassed by the complainant.

The complainant said in a victim impact statement that while he had occasionally seen Astwood walking on the trail, he never had any conversations or interactions with him.

He said he had moved to the area years ago because he felt it was safe, but had to install CCTV cameras in November 2021 after another incident in which his trash had been set on fire.

The court heard that Astwood had a total of 35 past convictions, including a 2013 conviction for causing unlawful damage.

In that incident, Astwood admitted that he had started a fire outside a Buzz restaurant to make a “statement” about the restaurant chain’s hiring practices.

He was last before the court in June 2022, when he was convicted of stalking and given a 12-month suspended sentence — but the Supreme Court heard the suspended sentence could not be activated as the present case took place before the stalking.

While Matthew Frick, for the Crown, argued that a sentence of between 18 months and 30 months would be appropriate given his long list of previous offences, Jonathan White, counsel for Astwood, argued that one year behind bars would be sufficient.

Astwood, meanwhile, apologised for his actions and said he wished to avoid probation because he intended to leave the country.

“I have a property in Jamaica that belongs to me and I have family in England,” he said. “I understand your concerns, but I know myself.”

Mr Justice Wolffe said that while Astwood admitted his guilt and expressed some remorse, those were the only mitigating factors in his favour.

He sentenced Astwood to 18 months behind bars, but noted that he had been held in custody since last June, which would mean that with time served he could be eligible for release soon.

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