Dawlish News

Concern has been expressed by a Judge after a decision by city magistrates allowed a convicted arsonist to roam the streets.

Martin Cooper,33,of Meadow Road Dawlish admitted starting a blaze in Dawlish in 2006,he was given a community order with mental health requirement.

Cooper appeared at Exeter Crown Court last week for breaching his order and also for possessing a knife in a public place.

A surprise move by magistrates jailed Cooper for four months for possessing the knife and because he had already spent 53days on remand, he was released three days later.

The Judge said he could not order that Cooper be arrested and remanded in custody for breaching the community order as he had not committed any other offence which would enable the court to hold him in prison.

The Judge ordered that psychiatric and psychological reports be prepared on Cooper to assess what risk of danger he posed to the public.