Accused firey ‘wanted colleagues to burn’

A COURT has been told a disgraced RFS volunteer put the lives of his fellow firefighters in danger after they were sent to blazes he deliberately lit on the frontline in southwest Sydney.

Daniel James Crawford, from Spring Farm, is facing potential jail time for the seven fires lit over a four-month period during the 2017-2018 bushfire season that saw his colleagues scrambling to keep the Macarthur community safe. The Downing Centre District Court on Friday was told the Spring Farm, William Howe Reserve and Menangle Park blazes were “fierce” when firefighters arrived on scene.

The Crown prosecutor in the case said: “Attending a fire with your colleagues next to you, with the oath you make to the RFS putting your colleagues in danger … at no stage did he try and limit the damage, he wanted them to burn”.

Crawford was earlier found guilty of seven counts of arson at a judge-alone trial but maintains his innocence.

Each charge carries a maximum sentence of 21 years in prison and a standard non-parole period of five years.

The father-of-three’s defence team argued the fires were carefully thought out to minimise damage and that Crawford helped put them out as he did not want them to get out of control.

They told the court Crawford should be spared jail so he could provide for his family when his wife returns to work after maternity leave.

Crawford’s case was adjourned but he will be sentenced back in the same court next week.