A 43-year-old man who apparently set himself on fire in a thwarted suicide attempt will serve 10 years in prison, Judge Robert C. Noonan ruled Tuesday afternoon.
Paul Atkinson admitted Oct. 26 to arson, 2nd, and Noonan was bound by law to impose a prison sentence, even though the defendant's sister and Atkinson himself both asked that he receive mental health treatment.
"I fully acknowledge the terrible losses you have had in your life," Noonan said. "The diseases that affilicted you, the personal pain that comes with divorce, the ping-pong life of children going back and forth, the loss of employment, financial hardships and the stress in your family. It's a soap opera. It's a very, very sad story.
"But," Noonan added, "you're very, very lucky you're not standing here before me accused of murdering several people."
Noonan said the record will reflect that Atkinson wants and need mental health treatment and that the state prison system does have programs in place.
"I hope you avail yourself of the help available, because you will be released from prison some day and when you're release you should get on with your life," Noonan said.
Atkinson started a fire July 14 in his father's home at 3 Orchard Drive, where he, his father and his sister and her husband were living at the time.
Atkinson's sister, Wendy Nelson, made a victim's statement and said that she suffered cracked ribs, a collapsed lung, smoke inhalation, anemia and post-traumatic stress syndrome as a result of the fire and hasn't been able to work since.
Yet, she said, she wants to see her brother get help.
"It's hard for him to ask for the help he needs," Nelson said. "I need to speak for somebody whom I feel cannot speak for himself and ask that he receives this help."
When Atkinson was given his turn to make a statement, he turned and thanked his sister and was barely able to be heard as he said, "I want help bad."
Noonan said he couldn't understand him, and Atkinson's next two attempts to speak were not understandable. Then he stood up a little straighter and said, "I know I need help now. I wish to receive help if it's offered to me. I'm very sorry for my crime."
