A 49-year-old woman has been given an eight-month prison sentence, fully suspended, for attempting to set another person’s house on fire in Forbes last December.
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Pauline Ann Turner was charged with maliciously damaging property by fire, common assault and entering enclosed land without a lawful excuse.
She received a suspended sentence of eight months for the malicious damage charge, a 12 month good behaviour bond for the charge of common assault and a conviction without further penalty for entering enclosed land without a lawful excuse.
Turner’s solicitor, Ms Webb told the court her client was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the offences and had very little memory of it.
“There’s no doubt they’re serious offences,” Ms Webb said.
“Ignition of any sort of flammable object has the potential to cause a great deal of harm.
“She is extremely sorry and embarrassed by her actions on this occasion. She does accept her responsibility.”
Magistrate Rabbidge acknowledged that Turner has recognised her troubles in the Forbes community and moved to Orange for a fresh start, but said purposefully lighting a fire is a serious offence.
“All Australians are only too familiar with the horrors of fire,” he said.
“It is extremely dangerous to go to someone else’s place to light a fire.”
Police facts to Forbes Local Court on February 4 said they were called to a brawl at a residence in Crouch Street Forbes at 9.10pm on December 23 last year, however upon their arrival all parties had separated.
Police were told the victim was at her residence with friends consuming alcohol when the accused arrived.
Turner approached the victim and placed her in a headlock before punching her in the face, making contact with her upper lip twice.
According to police facts, when they attended Turner’s residence they found her “very well affected by alcohol and argumentative, unsteady on her feet and slurring her words”.
Police advised Turner to remain home due to her behaviour and level of intoxication before they could talk to her about the incident. Turner stated, “I kinda understand”.
At 1.20am on December 24, police were called back to the victim’s property after receiving complaints that someone had placed a rag doused in flammable material next to the front wall of the residence and then lit the rag.
One of the residents happened to be awake at the time and noticed the fire on the outside of the premises.
Police attended the address a short time later and observed the rag still in situ with visible scorch marks on the exterior wall panelling.
They said they could smell a strong odour of a flammable material coming from the rag.
Police entered the neighbouring yard and found Turner hiding in the bushes near the boundary fence line.
When she was being transported to Parkes Police Station, Turner informed police that she was waiting in the bushes for the victim to leave her residence so she could punch her in the nose again.
