The man responsible for burning down the Lennox Agricultural Memorial Community Centre in Napanee, has been sentenced to five years in prison.
Jay Bradley appeared on Friday in a Napanee courtroom, in front of Justice Geoffrey Griffin, who handed down a total sentence of five years in prison and the forfeiture of Bradley’s 1953 Pontiac STR sedan to be auctioned off, with the proceeds used to pay restitution to the victims. Bradley has spent a year in custody pre-trial, and was given credit for time served, along with credit due to adverse conditions in the prison, leaving him with a three year four month prison time. The sentence also includes a 10-year prohibition on owning weapons.
“Consequential harm is both grave and considerable from the destruction of the arena used by a wide and varied segment of the community,” said Justice Griffin. “Such evil and dangerous conduct done in furtherance of some twisted act of vengeance must be denounced and deterred.”
The 49-year-old Bradley previously entered a guilty plea for two counts of arson, and a count of criminal harassment. The charges stem from the October 2023 fire that destroyed the Lennox Agricultural Memorial Community Centre, and a second fire which burned down the garage of the Agricultural Society’s treasurer in Stone Mills Township.
The crown was asking for a five-year sentence, plus an order to pay restitution. The defense had asked for three and a half years, and did not oppose the restitution order.
The original incidents came after Bradley had been unable to secure a renewal on his lease at the community centre, where he had operated a roller skating business since 2019.
