North Okanagan woman pleads guilty to arson charges

An Armstrong woman charged for setting fire to numerous properties in the North Okanagan has pled guilty to four charges of arson.

Colette Leneveu, who was 60 years old at the time of the offences, was charged after several fire-setting incidents that all took place over several days in March, 2018.

The Armstrong woman's trial was scheduled for two weeks beginning today, Jan. 6, however prior to the trial commencing, Leneveu pleaded guilty to four charges of arson, amended to remove a sentence that the properties were inhabited or occupied.

Leneveu stood in the dock at the Vernon Supreme Court while the clerk read the charges which said she had "intentionally or recklessly" causing damage to property by "fire or explosion."

The incidents all took place between Mar. 8 and Mar. 12, 2018 although details of the incidents were not discussed in court, earlier media reports said that one home was badly damaged and another homeowner woke up just in time to extinguish a fire in their attached garage. Leneveu was arrested and charged Mar. 13, 2018.

Defence lawyer Glenn Verdurmen told the court Leneveu had "good and stable mental health" and that a psychiatric report did not need to be ordered by the court ahead of sentencing.

Leneveu will be sentenced at a later date.

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