A WARRNAMBOOL man who lit a fire which caused two families to flee their homes in the middle of the night and caused $876,000 damage will spend at least four years and six months in prison.
Timothy Barry McDonough, 26, previously of Bates Road, pleaded not guilty to arson and reckless conduct endangering life in the Warrnambool County Court early last month.
It took a jury less than an hour to find him guilty.
He also pleaded guilty to five counts of burglary and four of theft as well as one charge of handling stolen goods.
McDonough committed a spate of burglaries before lighting a fire in a Coulstock Street garage which led to the destruction of a house and a neighbouring home being badly damaged.
Two families had to flee their homes in the early hours of October 15, 2008, to escape the fire.
Judge Felicity Hampel sentenced McDonough in Melbourne yesterday to serve six years and six months in prison with a minimum term of four years and six months before being eligible for parole.
She said McDonough had committed a stupid act which may have been his attempt to destroy evidence of burglaries.
Judge Hampel said whatever the reason, McDonough's actions were "dangerous, inexcusable and clearly deserving of stern condemnation and punishment".
She said McDonough had led an aimless, directionless and apathetic life and there was a need for both specific and general deterrence in sentencing.
Lawyers for insurance companies AAMI and Westfarmers have made applications for restitution.
AAMI is seeking $792,601.50 and Westfarmers $84,011.22.
McDonough has not consented to the restitution applications so the companies will have to take civil action to recoup loses.
It is understood McDonough has received WorkCover payments after contracting Q fever while working at a Warrnambool abattoir during his teenage years.
Warrnambool businessman Chris Hoffmann, whose garage, house and two cars were destroyed, said McDonough had started the fire and fled without any thought for anyone else.
"I just shake my head to think how lucky we were to get out,'' he said.
"Within two minutes of us getting out the upstairs bedroom was being engulfed by flame.
"The memories of the night are still vivid and we'll need to go and seek counselling."
Mr Hoffmann said McDonough's efforts to intimidate him during the trial and to menace the jury did the arsonist no good.
"There was no sign of remorse at all.
"His body language gave every indication he was just annoyed that he got caught,'' he said yesterday.
Detective Senior Constable Richard Hughes, of the Warrnambool Criminal Investigations Unit, compiled the case and said yesterday's sentencing was a pleasing conclusion.
"I just hope the victims can rebuild their lives and move on," he said.
Email a friend