Samantha Darrington, 26, jailed for lighting home on fire, endangering neighbours

A Norlane mother with a troubled past gave a chilling warning before lighting a fire that gutted her home and put a couple and their children in jeopardy.

Samantha Darrington.

A Norlane mother has been jailed after setting her home ablaze and putting a couple and their children in jeopardy.

Samantha Darrington, 26, appeared in the County Court at Melbourne via videolink to be sentenced by Judge Carolene Gwynn, having earlier pleaded guilty to arson intending to endanger the life of another and committing an indictable offence while on bail.

Darrington was convicted and sentenced to two years and four months behind bars, with a non-parole period of 14 months.

The court heard that on June 4, 2023, Darrington knocked on her next door neighbour’s door.

After a short exchange, she warned the man who answered: “You better call the fire brigade cause I’m burning my house down with your family in it”.

The neighbours, a couple with two small children and another on the way, lived in a unit adjacent to Darrington’s.

Soon after, the smoke alarm went off in Darrington’s home.

One of the neighbours tried to stop Darrington from leaving the scene, only to be told: “You better get back to your house, because your kids are melting.”

The man, fearing for his children – who were at home asleep – fled back to his house as his partner grabbed them from their beds.

He tried to put the fire out with a garden hose, but it couldn’t reach Darrington’s bedroom – where she’d lit the fire.

After the blaze was put out by firefighters, the couple returned to their home.

It was “saturated with water and smelled of smoke and dampness” and they moved out within days.

The roof of Darrington’s bedroom had partially collapsed, the carpet destroyed and there was “sooting throughout” much of her home – about $139,000 worth of damage.

All the joinery, windows and doors had to be replaced, and the walls and ceilings had to be replastered.

The kitchen, bedroom and laundry required complete reconstruction and new power and light fixtures had to be installed.

In her sentencing remarks, Judge Gwynn said it was “good fortune” that nobody was injured in the blaze.

Judge Gwynn said Darrington had a history of mental illness and a substance-use disorder.

The court heard Darrington had a traumatic upbringing, which included exposure to domestic violence and drug use through her parents’ volatile relationship.

Darrington also suffered “severe physical and emotional violence” at the hands of a former partner, the court heard.

She started smoking cannabis at the age of 16, and developed an ice addiction.

At the time of the offending she was using ice daily.

Judge Gwynn told Darrington her prospects for rehabilitation were “somewhat guarded” due to her history of drug abuse and reluctance to access treatment, but not hopless.

“If you can find a way to remain drug free … your prospects may well improve,” Judge Gwynn said.

Darrington has already served 96 days in custody.

Originally published as Samantha Darrington, 26, jailed for lighting home on fire, endangering neighbours