Alan John Richardson sentenced to four years for lighting home on fire

The traumatised ex-wife of an arsonist has told a court she lives in fear after her then husband doused their home in petrol and set it alight “out of spite” during a marriage breakdown.

The traumatised ex-wife of an arsonist has told a court she lives in fear after her then-husband doused their home in petrol and set it alight “out of spite” during a marriage breakdown.

Alan John Richardson, 45, this week pleaded guilty in the Brisbane District Court to one count of arson, with the aggravating factor that it was a domestic violence offence, after setting his marital home in Moreton Bay on fire last year.

Richardson doused bedrooms and living areas in petrol and set the Delaneys Creek home alight about 10pm on May 17 2019, causing extensive damage to the home, the court heard.

At that time of offending, Richardson was in the midst of a marriage breakdown and his family and two children had moved out.

The court heard he was living in the home alone.

Judge William Everson said Richardon’s marriage had deteriorated in the months earlier and by September 2018, Richardson and his wife were living in separate rooms.

On one occasion while the family was still living in the house, Richardson entered a bedroom with a bottle of fuel while his then-wife was sleeping and placed a fire extinguisher in the doorway, Judge Everson said.

On another occasion, he sent a text message threatening to burn down the house.

Richardson had been drinking heavily the night of the offending and called Triple-0 shortly after lighting the fire, which caused extensive damage to the home.

The court heard Richardson, who is originally from the United Kingdom, now works as a service technician and has a business that employs two people.

He had a long history of major depression and chronic pain, the court heard.

Judge Everson said Richardson “lit the fire out of malice and spite” due to escalating tensions related to the division of assets between the couple.

“You could have stopped yourself from doing it, you chose not to,” Judge Everson said.

“When asked why you lit the fire, you said: ‘I want to show her that I haven’t done all this to give her everything’ this was a reference to the dispute you were having with your wife about the distribution of assets following the end of the marriage.

“Your offending has had a significant impact on your then-wife … the significant psychological impacts of your offending has led to family members being prescribed antidepressants and suffering anxiety attacks.

“Your former wife now lives in fear of what you might do.”

Richardson was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment, to be suspended after nine months of the sentence has been served.