Reference no: EM13933721

Andy and Tim, keen environmentalists and known troublemakers, are staging a protest outside Shamrock's Cafe about the café's refusal to buy fair trade coffee beans. Tim has brought along some cartons filled with petrol intending to damage the cafe if necessary. Annoyed at the general indifference to their protest, Andy decides that he needs to attract some attention to the protest. He uses a marker pen and writes the message, 'Boycott Traders Failing to Support Fair Trade' on the front window of Shamrock's Cafe. Tim makes a phone call to the manager, Jed, of the Shamrock's Café and says, 'Close the cafe or I will burn it when you least expect!' Jed replies, 'Yeah right, I'm not frightened of you or anyone. You're a right idiot!' Andy sees Oisin and Nora walking towards the Shamrock Cafe. He rushes at Nora swinging a pickaxe handle over his head in a menacing manner and shouts, 'Come on! Let's hear your support.' Nora believes she is about to be struck with the pickaxe handle. She wants to jump out of the way but sees she is standing next to a dog. Nora tries to avoid it but lands on the dog, breaking its paw. At this point, Oisin steps between Nora and Andy. He grabs Andy firmly by the arm, and pulls him away from Nora. In doing so, he badly twists Andy's wrist. Oisin turns around to comfort Nora who is quite distressed. As he does so, Andy takes a punch at Oisin but misses and puts his fist through a nearby glass pane on a bus shelter causing it to shatter. Andy flees into a nearby shopping centre. Annoyed, Tim sets light to his petrol-filled cartons and throws them into the cafe. The cafe is quickly engulfed in flames and is badly damaged but no one is hurt. Patti, a concerned citizen, observes Andy's acts and decides to try and apprehend him as he runs through the shopping centre. After a short chase, Patti catches up with Andy and jumps on him, cutting his face with her ring. The cut is bleeding and requires several stitches. Please advise the parties on their criminal liability, if any. Use decided cases and relevant statutory provisions in support of your answer.