Two young men arrested on suspicion of arson Wednesday have been released on bail.

The eldest of the two suspects, Ian Joseph, 19, made his first appearance in provincial court Friday. He has no criminal record.

Joseph and an under-age youth were charged with arson damaging property Wednesday night after an RCMP foot patrol spotted the pair standing next to a City garbage bin in a downtown alley. As the officer spoke to the pair, the bin caught fire, leading police to believe they had caught the pair red-handed.

Judge Sheri Donegan, noting the seriousness of the charge, released Joseph on strict bail conditions, including a 6 p.m. to 10 a.m. curfew, a prohibition from possessing incendiary devices and a requirement that he must not be in the downtown area without adult supervision and the approval of his bail supervisor.

A TRU student who works part-time, Joseph presented himself as a soft-spoken young man willing to co-operate fully with court conditions.

"You should be aware if you breach any of these conditions you'll land back in custody," the judge warned him.

The younger suspect, who appeared earlier in youth court and whose name cannot be published due to his age, was also released on bail.

Joseph is scheduled to be back in court on May 31.