An arsonist who torched a vehicle in Senglea and set up a burn trail all the way to its owner's front door two years ago, was condemned to a six-and-a-half-year jail term.

That trail - from the parked vehicle right up to the door of its owner’s home -  was the first piece of evidence that put investigators on the tracks of Jesmond Cassar who had adopted the same modus operandi in two previous arson attacks. 

Police officers immediately spotted the trail when they were called to the scene of the crime that January night after a Toyota model burst into flames at around 3.30am.

A blue plastic container, which melted in the blaze, further confirmed the suspicion that it was no accidental fire. 

As investigators pieced together the evidence, the sequence of events emerged. 

Police claimed that an accelerant fluid was first splashed over the parked vehicle, and then sprinkled along the pavement to the owner’s door. 

When ignited, the flames spread to the residence where the owner and other family members slept. 

The door and curtains behind it were soon ablaze. Smoke and soot filled the ground floor of the victims’ home. 

The car owner’s mother later recalled she was woken up by her neighbour who was sounding the alert. There was smoke in her bedroom and the smell of burning. 

By the time she got downstairs, her neighbour had managed to put out the fire at her front door. But her son’s car was still ablaze. 

She handed him buckets of water as he struggled to put out the fire. 

The car was a total loss. Mother and son also had to fork out some €2,000 to repair the damages to their home. 

CCTV footage and call profile data further confirmed suspicions that Cassar, now 49, was behind the attack. 

A Toyota model with two green doors and two missing hubcaps was caught on footage driving off at high speed close to the crime scene that night. 

That vehicle was spotted a few weeks later in Cospicua. Its driver was Matthew Haidon. 

Police gathered footage from outside Haidon’s Kalkara home. 

On the night of the arson, at around 3:00am, Haidon drove up and parked the car outside. He went indoors and exited shortly after carrying a blue container. 

The passenger waiting for him was Cassar. When arrested, Haidon insisted that it was Cassar who had committed the arson. He had simply waited in his car after Cassar walked to the victim’s home a short distance away. 

Haidon also claimed that Cassar had asked him to hand over his waistcoat before heading out to put his arson plan into action. 

Haidon was subsequently prosecuted and sentenced upon admission to his involvement in the crime.

Victim suspected Cassar because of pending issues

The victim testified that he suspected Cassar because of some pending issues between them. 

Prior to the night of the arson, he spotted Cassar in the vicinity of his home.

Moreover, the victim identified the accused through his gait and stature on footage that showed the arsonist walking up to the crime scene, a container in hand. 

Call profile and geolocation data further strengthened the prosecution’s case. 

At 2:45am on the night of the incident, Cassar had received a call from Haidon. 

Later that day, police in the control room received a call. They recognised the caller’s voice. It was Cassar.

The man was subsequently charged with wilfully setting fire to the car and the victim’s door, wilful damage to third party property, breaching bail as well as recidivism. 

He pleaded not guilty, his lawyer arguing that the arson was committed by Haidon. 

However, the court threw out the defence’s arguments, concluding that the prosecution had successfully proved a link of causation between the accused and the criminal action in such a manner as to morally convince the court of the accused’s guilt. 

When delivering judgment, the court, presided over by Magistrate Rachel Montebello, observed that Haidon’s testimony was “consistent” and remained so even when cross-examined a year and a half after the incident. 

The witness never contradicted himself and the court did not believe that he had maliciously made up his version implicating Cassar. 

Moreover, material evidence supported Haidon’s version.

When meting out punishment, the court took note of the accused’s voluminous criminal record, including other arson convictions. 

There was nothing to show that Cassar had reformed himself. On the contrary, he proved to be untrustworthy even when twice granted bail during these proceedings, remarked the court. 

Cassar had a drug problem which he failed to “actively” address.

In light of all considerations, the court declared him guilty and condemned him to a six-and-a-half-year effective jail term and confiscation of €5,000 out of his bail bond.

The accused was also ordered to reimburse the victim €2,000 for his car that was damaged beyond repair, €2,000 for the damages caused to the residence and a further €2,646.98 in court expert expenses. 

The court also placed Cassar under a 3-year restraining order and a treatment order. 

Inspectors Mario Xiberras and Jeffrey Scicluna prosecuted.