Jacqueline Marie Tait attempts exorcism, causes $65,000 fire damage in South Mackay

A Queensland woman who attempted an exorcism to ‘burn out the demons inside of her’ caused nearly $65,000 in damages to state housing.

A South Mackay woman who lit her mattress on fire to “burn out the demons inside of her” has cost the state $65,000 in damages.

Mackay District Court heard Jacqueline Marie Tait, 42, had been living on the second storey of a South Mackay housing commission apartment complex since June 2016.

On February 16 2021, residents of the complex woke to fire alarms roaring and the smell of “chemicals and burning plastic in the air” about 2am.

Crown prosecutor Julie Aylward said residents noticed smoke coming from Tait’s unit and emergency services were called.

While waiting outside, residents saw Tait “dry-retching from her balcony and yelling for help”.

Ms Aylward said when fire crews arrived they found Tait’s door locked and barricaded from the inside and had to force entry.

They found a mattress in a second room completely alight and used a hose to extinguish it.

Ms Aylward said police found methamphetamine, a used bong and two cone pieces in the apartment.

Tait had suffered superficial burns to her back and neck and was taken to hospital.

Barrister: ‘[Tait] was clearly acting under illusion or beliefs in relation to an exorcism of a demon which required the room to be burned’. Picture: Lillian Watkins

The court heard while in hospital Tait told police said she had “used kerosene to try and burn down the unit because she was trying to burn out the demons inside of her”.

The total damage to the unit was nearly $65,000.

Tait pleaded guilty to endangering particular property by fire, possessing dangerous drugs and possessing utensils and appeared in court for sentence on December 2.

Magistrate: ‘You caused a lot of damage, and some public housing was then no longer available to people’. Picture: Lillian Watkins

Her barrister Scott Mclennan told the court Tait had a schizoaffective disorder and had experienced a psychotic episode at the time of the fire.

Mr Mclennan read from a psychiatric report which stated “[Tait] was clearly acting under illusion or beliefs in relation to an exorcism of a demon which required the room to be burned”.

But the court heard Tait could not rely entirely on a mental health defence as she had admitted to using methamphetamine.

In sentencing, Judge Julie Dick acknowledged the seriousness of Tait’s actions.

“This is a serious offence, to endanger a lot of property, to endanger people, to endanger yourself,” Judge Dick said.

“You caused a lot of damage, and some public housing was then no longer available to people.”

Judge Dick said she accepted that Tait had experienced a psychotic episode and was less criminally culpable.

Tait was sentenced to two years jail with an immediate parole release date.