Accused jailed after fire in hotel room
SYDNEY — A Sydney man who set fire to a hotel room in an apparent suicide attempt has been jailed and ordered to complete a probation period.
Brent Michael MacSween, 36, whose court file lists multiple addresses in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, was sentenced on two counts of breaching court orders and a single count of mischief in connection with property damage. A fourth count of arson was dismissed.
With remand credit of one year, MacSween is now to serve an additional eight months in jail followed by a two-year probation period.
The court was told that Cape Breton Regional Police came to the Harbourview Inn in Sydney in June 2021 searching for MacSween who they were looking for in connection with another case.
MacSween refused to open his room door and demanded police secure a search warrant. He threatened to blow up the facility if police entered.
Shortly after midnight, the smell of gas began emanating from the room and police secured a room key from the front desk.
MacSween was apprehended in the room while another male escaped through a window.
The room was extensively damaged by the blaze that began when MacSween lit a pillow on fire.
MacSween told the court his actions that day were the result of a suicide attempt as he was sick of life.
With 58 prior conditions for drugs, assaults, breaching court orders and other offences, MacSween explained that he lost control over his own life because of a drug addiction (cocaine and opiates), along with not properly addressing his mental health issues. As a result, MacSween has no job and no source of income and a lengthy criminal record.
The Crown sought a 10-12-month jail period while the defence recommended a 1-3-month period of incarceration.
Among the conditions of his probation, MacSween is to abstain from alcohol and drugs not prescribed to him and is also not to possess any weapons. He is to take all counselling as recommended by his probation officer and is not to possess any device capable of starting a fire.