Suspected Paphos arsonist remanded

A 19-year-old Paphos male was remanded for four days on Thursday on suspicion of setting fires deliberately.

The teenager was arrested on Wednesday afternoon while trying to flee the Limnes area, near the village of Theletra, where a fire had just broken out.

He was spotted by fire fighters of the Game Fund who detained him until the arrival of the police.

The court heard that the suspect initially denied any involvement in starting the fire, but he later admitted to doing so.

Police said the suspect had set two fires on August 2 in fields in Theletra.

He told officers “he likes to see smoke,” the court heard.

However, he denied setting a large fire that caused a lot of damage in the area over the weekend.

He named someone else who had allegedly asked him to set the fire but he refused, the court heard.

His defence lawyers did not object to his remand but suggested he would not be able to go through a trial because of mental disabilities.

That matter will be examined at a later stage, the court said.

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