Toni Margaret Lana Sivyer, 44, sentenced after fire at Queens Court Hotel

A Cairns woman who lit a fire at a Cairns hotel, putting a family with small children at risk and causing $60,000 in damage, has been sentenced. Read what happened in court here.

A CAIRNS woman lit a fire at a Cairns hotel, putting a family with small children at risk and causing $60,000 in damage, a court has heard.

Toni Margaret Lana Sivyer, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of endangering particular property by fire in Cairns District Court on Monday.

Crown prosecutor Tania Richardson said the defendant was captured on CCTV footage walking towards the room at Queens Court Hotel on Sheridan Street where the fire was lit, before returning to the hotel pool at 5.08am.

“The fire comprised of a wicker chair which had toilet paper, plastic and other debris underneath it,” she said.

“The chair was situated against the door, the door had direct fire damage, the damage extended from the floor level to above the door handle.”

Ms Richardson said the cost of the damage was estimated to be $60,000 and the business was out of service for a week.

Toni Margaret Lana Sivyer, 44, outside Cairns Courthouse.

“The fire caused smoke damage to the corridor outside the room, and melted lighting fixtures and the alarm,” she said.

“Costs of the business included providing meals to guests, moving them to another building and cleaning costs.”

Ms Richardson said the offending was incredibly serious given it was at a time where guests were sleeping.

“The defendant lit the fire in reckless disregard of the prospect of the building catching fire, guests at the nearby room had to be evacuated in the early hours of the morning, this included a room on the same floor that had small children in it,” she said.

Defence barrister Rachelle Logan said Sivyer had experienced some abuse in early years and suffered from bipolar disorder.

“She’s had a really long history of homelessness where she doesn’t really think and flicks her cigarette buds,” she said.

Toni Margaret Lana Sivyer, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of endangering particular property by fire in Cairns District Court on Monday. Picture: Facebook.

“She heard the alarms while she was at the pool and she found it far too noisy for her, she got distressed by that sound so she went to the next hotel.

“She didn’t quite realise what was occurring at the time and what the commotion was about.”

Ms Logan said she was in a strong place at the moment, engaging with counselling, maintaining medication and had been clean for about six months.

Sivyer apologised to Judge Ian Dearden for the events.

“Im sorry that it happened, I am more aware of my surroundings,” she said.

“I’d never let it happen again.”

Judge Ian Dearden said thankfully the fire occurred on a tiled floor and the door didn’t take it.

“Wherever it might be, we are entitled to live our lives as safely as possible. Fire can be incredibly dangerous,” he said.

Judge Dearden sentenced Sivyer to 15 months imprisonment with parole release immediately.

“Get on with your life, make sure you are compliant with your medication, make it your goal never to make it back to this court or any other,” he said.

Originally published as Toni Margaret Lana Sivyer, 44, sentenced after fire at Queens Court Hotel