Amid all the Beer Virus chat it is easy to miss some of the other important stuff that is going on. You may recall last year fires ravaged the Nelson area, putting hundreds of homes and lives at risk, not to mention the destruction of more than a few pine forests.

Well two local scumbags from Nelson have now been convicted of starting at least two of the fires.

Benjamin Durrant and Abigail Page had denied setting the fires, one on the Moutere Highway and one on Pigeon Valley Rd, but after five hours of deliberation, a jury found them both guilty.

The BFD. Benjamin Durrant. Credit Rosa Woods, Stuff

Durrant had claimed he was upset after losing his firewood delivery job and that was his motive for setting fire to the trees.

The BFD. Abigail Page. Credit Rosa Woods, Stuff

Page simply claimed it was all Durrant’s idea and she was just doing what she was told.

Both of these scum have been remanded until May for sentencing.

Let’s hope they both get a long while inside to think about their actions.

ExPFC, ex lots of things. I'm a passionate user of fossil fuels, a proud flag flying Kiwi, I have trouble suffering fools and the permanently offended. Sometimes I may play the devil's advocate, sometimes...