The Kingsbrae Garden Café was vandalized and damaged by fire on March 31, 2019. (Submitted/Kingsbrae Garden)
The man who destroyed the Kingsbrae Garden in St. Andrews in March will serve three years in federal prison.
Christopher Briand, 27, pleaded guilty to charges of mischief, break and enter, and breach of probation, after breaking into the gardens while intoxicated, and causing $200,000 worth of damage.
Tim Henderson, managing director of the Garden, says the damage was devastating.
“We did get up and operating and we did have a tremendous summer, and we had great support from the community and even beyond this year, but there’s no question the devastation that was caused was very traumatic and it was also very costly,” he said.
While the insurance company has covered all the costs of the damage, the gardens had to pay two $1,000 deductibles, and are still facing rising costs due to damaged equipment.
Henderson says rebuilding after the damage was tough.
“It was very expensive, very costly and time consuming, and heart breaking. It was a family home. It was an icon and is an icon in the area, which we could’ve lost in one night. (The sentencing) is bittersweet to a degree, but we certainly hope this individual gets the help he needs,” he said.
Founder of Kingsbrae Garden Lucinda Flamer say despite the struggles, there was a tremendous amount of community support.
“I was amazed and touched by how many people who’ve just passed through Kingsbrae took it as a personal affront. People we didn’t really know came and said ‘we cannot believe it, we take it as a personal hurt that this has happened,” she said.
Briand says he suffers from addition and mental health struggles. He believes it was a possible drug-induced psychosis that led him to cause the damage, ranging from broken windows and smashed plates to two small fires.
He also hadn’t taken his medication that day.
During court Tuesday, he said he hopes being in a federal facility will allow him to work on recovery.
Briand has spent the past six months in custody, which will count toward his sentence.
Previous charges of arson and theft were dropped.
He will also have to pay Kingsbrae $2,000 in insurance deductibles.
