Teen in fire ‘prank’ let off with a £2,000 bill

Kassid Mahmood, 18, was suspended from his electronics course after starting a blaze at the Olive Grove site of Sheffield College, a court heard.

Recorder Jeremy Barnett told him: “This was a moment of madness for some unexplained reason. It was probably a prank and that’s the way I should approach it.”

Mahmood, of Wensley Street, Grimesthorpe, Sheffield, admitted causing damage by fire in the incident on March 30.

Prosecutor Michael Tooley told Sheffield Crown Court that Mahmood left his classroom on the second floor and went to the lavatories on the ground floor.

He found a lighter in a cubicle and set fire to the toilet causing £8,350 damage, which was mostly from the effects of smoke. Nobody was injured.

Ian Goldsack, for Mahmood, said he now understood the seriousness of what he did although at the time it “completely passed him by”.

He had been prevented from concluding his studies and sitting his exams and had hoped to go into electronics as a career.

His mother had offered to pay some compensation as her son had no income at present and Mahmood’s parents felt he should pay a contribution towards the damage bill.

Recorder Barnett said the blaze had caused extensive damage and “could have been horrific if it had not been put out”.

The judge said Mahmood had already been punished by losing his good character.

“I’m prepared to take a chance on you,” the judge told Mahmood. “I’m sure your appearance at court will have some effect on you and I’m prepared to take a lenient course.”

As well as paying the £2,000, Mahmood was given a 12-month community order with supervision and ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid community work.