A man who set fire to his Wyndham Vale home after a fight with his partner has been sentenced to six months jail.
Andrew Walford, 47, pleaded guilty at the County Court last week to one charge of arson after he set fire to his Wentworth Avenue home in August last year.
On the day of the incident, the court heard, Walford informed his partner that he had lost his job, and an argument about his financial situation ensued. Walford then consumed alcohol, and purchased petrol at a nearby petrol station. Upon his return to the home, he poured petrol throughout the house and then ignited it. Nobody was home at the time.
Citing victim impact statements from Walford’s partner and her daughter, Judge Dean said the offending had caused profound emotional trauma for the pair.
“Plainly, your offending is serious and your criminal actions carried out to harm your partner, in the context of your deteriorating relationship, must be denounced by this court,” Judge Dean said. “You must also be punished for what you have done, and the sentence I impose must be calculated to deter you and others from offending in this manner.
“The court must send a clear message to the community that damaging property in this dangerous and reckless manner, in the setting of a relationship breakdown, will be met with significant penalty on conviction,” he said.
Describing the offending as “serious”, Judge Dean sentenced Walford to six months in prison, and ordered he complete a community corrections order for 18 months.
Conditions on the order include that he remain under the supervision of a community corrections officer, undertake assessment and treatment in relation to drug and alcohol abuse, and undertake a mental health assessment and treatment as directed.
