Firebug Garry Trestrail lit a woman’s garage on fire then minded her children while she fought the blaze, court told

SOUTHERN suburbs residents want a serial firebug – who lit a fire before caring for a woman’s children and dog while she fought the blaze – banned from living near them.

Garry Trestrail following his arrest over the 2014 southern suburbs arson spree. Art: Tim Ide.

HE is the firebug who lit “walls of flame” around his own neighbourhood in 2014, traumatising homeowners and leaving a trail of destruction across the southern suburbs.

But in the sickest twist of all, arsonist Garry John Trestrail alerted one of his victims to his handiwork — then cared for her children and dog as she battled the blaze he had started.

In the District Court on Monday, Lara Hildebrand confronted Trestrail and vowed that, while his callous act had rocked her young family, she would not let it destroy them.

“I heard someone banging on the door, yelling that my garage was on fire ... and left my children and my dog with the very person who had set the fire,” she said.

“Your actions did and do continue to have significant impact on our lives (but) I put on my social-worker supermum costume for the kids.

“As much effect as this man has had on us he hasn’t won, and he will not win.”

Trestrail, 24, of Morphett Vale, faces a maximum life sentence for having set blazes at McLaren Flat, Seaford Heights, Noarlunga Centre, Morphett Vale and Happy Valley.

He was arrested in February 2014 in the wake of 12 scrub and grass fires across the southern suburbs.

Police seized clothing, a fuel can, a cigarette lighter, computer and mobile phone when Trestrail was arrested and found a tin of paint stripper at one of the fires.

Lara Hildebrand (right) leaves the District Court after giving her victim impact statement.

Prosecutors alleged Trestrail lied about his movements during the arson spree, claiming to have watched one of the fires from a McDonald’s drive-through that he had not used.

They said he was responsible for a “wall of flame” that burned 4ha of scrub and destroyed Ms Hildebrand’s shed and a car, two buildings, two industrial bins, a haystack and trees.

In March, Trestrail pleaded guilty to four counts of arson, six counts of causing a bushfire and one count of damaging property.

Reading her victim impact statement on Monday, Ms Hildebrand said the incident was the second time her garage had been set on fire.

“After the first time, I was able to convince my children that it was a rare and unexpected thing, that it would never happen again, that they were safe,” she said.

“The second fire, the one Trestrail lit, destroyed that belief ... my children were convinced it was personal and targeted.”

A CFS volunteers dampens down hot spots after a fire started by Garry Trestrail at Happy Valley in February, 2014. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt.

She said both she and her children — aged 8, 9 and 12 — had suffered emotional trauma, often triggered by sounds and smells associated with fire and smoke.

The court also heard a community impact statement, filed on behalf of Trestrail’s neighbourhood and his other victims.

It said residents felt angry and “wild as hell” that Trestrail would “dare” to threaten them and their hard-earned livelihoods, and “worn down” by the clean-up and recovery process.

It also said extinguishing the fires required in excess of 59 firetrucks, 169 firefighters working 12 hours and a cost of $15,038 to Onkaparinga Council.

Residents who contributed to the statement asked that, upon his release, Trestrail be banned from returning to the neighbourhood.

Judge Barry Beazley remanded Trestrail in custody for further submissions next month.