Emily Woods, AAP
A Victorian woman who lit a deadly fire, killing a young couple and their 19-day-old baby, will spend at least eight years behind bars.
Jenny Hayes, 48, faced the Supreme Court in Melbourne on Friday, where she learned her fate after pleading guilty to three counts of arson causing death over the December 2020 fire.
Abbey Forrest, 19, her partner Inderpal Sohal, 28, and their baby daughter Ivy died from carbon monoxide poisoning in the blaze, which Hayes lit in retribution after a man wronged her.
Mr Sohal had allowed one of his friends to use a downstairs bedroom of their Point Cook home.
The friend hired Hayes, a sex worker, and she provided services which were paid for but there was a dispute and the man left.
Hayes claimed he raped her and stole cash from her, then sent him a series of angry texts, including telling him she would set fire to his house.
After waiting in her car for four minutes, she stormed back into the down stairs bedroom and set fire to the mattress.
The young family were asleep in an upstairs bedroom when their home became engulfed by flames.
Hayes sent the man who wronged her photos of the burning house, and took more photos as she drove away.
Justice Elizabeth Hollingworth handed Hayes a 13-year jail term and she must serve a minimum of eight years before she will be eligible for parole.
“Three innocent people lost their lives as a result of your actions,” she told Hayes in court. “Ivy was the most vulnerable of all.”
Hayes is the fifth person in Victoria to be sentenced for arson causing death.
She has already served almost two years of her prison term.
