Rapist sets fire to house

A TOWNSVILLE father set fire to a home as his former partner and her children cowered inside in a “chilling” attack that left the family “broken”.

The premeditated campaign of terror began earlier that night in July last year when he attended a petrol station and bought a can of petrol.

The man then arrived at the woman’s home uninvited, ripped a door from its tracks and violently raped her. The man, who cannot be identified to protect the privacy of his victims, faced Townsville District Court on Friday, where he was told he could spend the next 16 years behind bars.

Crown prosecutor Monique Sheppard said the man’s crimes were an example of some of the most serious domestic violence offending.

The 32-year-old pleaded guilty to 11 domestic violence offences, including rape, contravening a DV order, burglary, suffocation and arson. Detailing the facts of the case, Ms Sheppard said the man, who a jury convicted of sexually abusing his stepdaughter, arrived at the home to speak to the girl.

“He wanted to get into (the girl’s bedroom), but (her mother) refused.

“He’s repeatedly demanded to talk to (the girl) to ‘sort this stuff out’,” Ms Sheppard said.

After an altercation between the pair, Ms Sheppard said that the man used a pillow to smother the woman’s face as he “violently raped” his former partner in a protracted attack.

Ms Sheppard said the woman woke her daughter and other children and barricaded themselves in a locked bedroom as she called for help.

“The defendant had before leaving poured petrol in what appears to be the lounge area and set fire to the house knowing that (the woman and her children) were inside,” Ms Sheppard said.

“She opened the door and saw smoke,” Ms Sheppard said.

The family stood and watched the home burn down with nothing more than the clothes on their backs.

Ms Sheppard said at the time of his offending the man was on bail for the sexual abuse charges and subject to a domestic violence protection order, which barred any contact or communication with the family.

Addressing her abuser, the woman told the court that her family lived in fear after the attack.

Defence barrister Ross Malcomson did not dispute the facts, but argued the motive behind the arson was to intimidate but not to harm and that there was no evidence to support he lit the fire to destroy evidence.

Judge John Coker described the man’s offending as premeditated and harrowing.

The man was sentenced to seven years on the most serious rape charge and five years for the arson.