A Russian man is facing an 11-year prison sentence following accusations of arson and extensive damage to a hotel room in Tenerife.
The trial is set to commence on Monday, May 19th, at the Courts in Santa Cruz, where the prosecution will present its case against the accused.
The incident left the hotel with significant damage and a financial burden, including over €5,000 in repair costs to restore the room to a usable condition. Additionally, they reported a loss of over €1,000 in potential earnings while the room was unavailable for use during repairs.
The accused, who reportedly left a €200 unpaid debt at the hotel when he left, had been causing disturbances prior to smashing the room up. According to the prosecution, the suspect deliberately caused damage to the room and used a lighter to set fire to furniture, cardboard, paper, and textiles, intending to cause as much damage to the property as possible.
The prosecution argues that the accused was fully aware of the potential danger his actions posed to other hotel guests' safety. Despite the severity of the situation, the flames were extinguished automatically thanks to the fire-resistant materials and the hotel's fire protection systems.
The alleged vandalism included staining and scratching walls, damaging the exterior and bathroom doors, burning a mirror frame, bed headboard, and an armchair, as well as breaking clothes hangers. Further destruction included drilling holes in a wooden chair, destroying a nightstand lamp, burning the curtain rail, and damaging the mattress, pillow, and hairdryer. The room was left in complete disarray, littered with food, beer cans, and trash, and the telephone was ripped off the wall.
Repairs required extensive work, including wall and ceiling plastering and painting, thorough cleaning, unclogging the sink and toilet, waste management, and labour costs.
On the night of the incident, the accused had been drinking, but the prosecution maintains that this did not impair his ability to understand his actions or the intent behind them. After the incident, the suspect left the hotel with all his belongings but was soon apprehended by police, who found a lighter with a burnt base in his possession.
According to police, he has a history of legal issues, including convictions for assault, breach of sentencing conditions, and theft, resulting in various prison sentences and fines. He is currently held in provisional custody without bail since his arrest for the hotel incident.
