Arsonist behind large Bridgewater fire back in prison after violating day parole
Adrian Thomas Hunt released in December, admits to cocaine use on parole
A convicted arsonist responsible for a devastating fire in downtown Bridgewater, N.S., is back in prison after failing to live up to the terms of his day parole.
Adrian Thomas Hunt, who is serving a five-year sentence for arson with a disregard for human life, was released last December and ordered to live at a halfway house.
He was convicted after he admitted to setting a fire in October 2017 that destroyed several buildings, including three apartment buildings. No one was harmed but one resident lost three cats.
Hunt was taken back into custody for violating his parole conditions on April 23, and in a hearing earlier this month, the Parole Board of Canada determined he was now too great a risk to be allowed back into the community.
Hunt's parole had started out well, including landing a full-time job. But his employer reported to his case management team that Hunt was skipping work and not giving any explanation.
"It was also discovered that you had been using cocaine and meeting up with women for casual sex and substance abuse," the board noted in its decision to cancel his parole.
When confronted with his absences from work, Hunt told the board it was only to meet women. But when it was pointed out that cocaine had been found in his belongings, he admitted he had started abusing drugs again.
"Instead of focusing on managing your risk factors, you were distracted by other personal matters that should have been secondary to taking care of yourself," the board said.
"As a result, you made a series of poor decisions that contributed to your ultimate demise on day parole."
Hunt was arrested in January 2018, several months following the fire, after people were able to identify him from security video from the night of arson. He was seen entering a building and then, shortly after he left, smoke began billowing out of the structure.
Hunt initially denied being responsible for the fires but eventually admitted his crime. However, he never gave an explanation for his actions.