Frank Marco Ciampa sentenced to three years, nine months for intentionally causing bushfires

A 46-year-old man who deliberately lit four bushfires in one day on the Eyre Peninsula in the middle of summer has been jailed over the spree.

A 46-year-old man arrested after lighting multiple bushfires while walking along a rural highway in the middle of summer has been jailed.

Frank Marco Ciampa faced the Port Augusta District Court after pleading guilty to four counts of deliberately causing four bushfires in the Eyre Peninsula.

Ciampa, 46, lit the fires on December 28, 2021 along the Flinders Highway near Streaky Bay.

Ciampa lit the first two fires near a farm on the Flinders Highway, before lighting a third a kilometre away.

The 46-year-old former Naracoorte resident then lit a final fourth bushfire 500m from the third before being apprehended by police.

Ciampa's sentence was reduced by 5 per cent due to an early guilty plea.

Judge Gordon Barrett told the court Ciampa has a lifelong history of mental ill health and was in an acute relapse of psychosis at the time of offending.

“The reasons you gave the police for lighting the fires are extremely difficult to follow and are reflective of your mental illness at the time,” Judge Barrett said.

“You said that you were in pain and you were lost, so you decided to light the fires.

“You told the police that you threw a box of matches into the fire to destroy the evidence.”

At the time of his arrest, Ciampa had three lighters in his possession, the court heard.

The prison sentence for deliberately causing a bushfire carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

Judge Barrett told the court that despite Ciampa having a long history of mental ill-health and a diagnosis of schizophrenia, he was not suitable for a mental impairment defence.

“Psychiatric evaluation suggests that you did not have a mental impairment defence, although you have a long history of mental ill-health, including a diagnosis of schizophrenia,” he said.

Crops being harvested in Streaky Bay. Picture: Bec Brace

The court heard Ciampa’s medical report indicated when he lit the fires he was “significantly mentally unwell with a relapse of psychosis”.

Judge Barrett said sentencing Ciampa for his offences was difficult when taking his mental health into consideration.

“Lighting fires in the open at such a dangerous time of the year as December is extremely serious as reflected by the maximum penalty of life imprisonment,” Judge Barrett said.

“It is fortunate that the fires were detected early and were able to be distinguished by the CFS before there was any damage to buildings or livestock or worse.”

Ciampa was sentenced to three years and nine months imprisonment with a non-parole period of 18 months.