SEVEN YEARS IN JAIL FOR REPEAT FIREBOMBER:

Seven-year jail sentence

A BELMONT man was jailed for seven years yesterday for firebombing a Norlane home before returning a month later and setting it fully alight.

Craig Chidwick, 47, committed the twin arson attacks at a home in Taroonga Court in March and April, deliberately going after the man who lived there with two children.

Geelong County Court heard Chidwick’s girlfriend helped him carry out the first attack, even though the victims were her sons and expartner.

The woman cut the power to the house to disable security cameras before Chidwick used jars filled with petrol to set a car parked beside it on fire on March 27.

The jars exploded and the fire spread to the house, but the man woke and firefighters put the blaze out.

Frightened, the victim and his sons had moved out of the house by Anzac Day, when Chidwick next attacked.

The defendant broke into the home and piled rags on the floor, setting them alight. The fire destroyed the house.

Chidwick later told police he wanted the man to “suffer”.

The comment reflected “a dark and dangerous aspect of (his) personality” judge Gerard Mullaly said.

“Arson is inherently dangerous. This was moreso because you knew the victim and his children were inside,” the judge added. “You arranged for the power to be cut. Then, in a calculated and coldhearted way, set an explosive blaze. You planned, prepared and executed this serious crime.”

With a prior conviction for arson, Chidwick is now considered a serious offender. He pleaded guilty to two counts of arson and counts of theft and burglary, and will be eligible for parole after five years. He has spent 18 days in custody so far.