Daniel Crawford: Jail time for Narellan RFS firefighter, arsonist
An RFS volunteer has been sentenced after being found guilty of deliberately lighting fires and then putting them. See all the details here.
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A disgraced RFS volunteer who was charged over deliberately lighting several fires in Sydney’s southwest has been sentenced to jail.
Daniel James Crawford, 36, of Spring Farm appeared at Downing Centre District Court on Friday for sentencing after being found guilty of seven counts of arson, despite maintaining his innocence since charges were laid.
The fires were lit in locations across Elderslie, Spring Farm, Narellan Vale, Smeaton Grange and Menangle Park between September 2017 and January 2018.
Judge John Pickering said the offences carry a maximum penalty of 14 years imprisonment.
He also said Crawford had shown a “lack of remorse and lack of acceptance of responsibility” and there had been “significant controversy about the seriousness of the facts”.
“Here it seems to me there’s no doubt the offender was interested in fires, and also lighting them and putting them out,” Judge Pickering said.
“Perhaps being a hero and putting them out influenced his decision but I don’t know, that’s a degree of speculation.
“He lit these fires knowing they would never be overly serious. That’s not to diminish the seriousness of the offence.”
He also revealed details about evidence that had been collected by authorities.
“The fires were lit the same way in similar type areas. Each example was the offender after work, lighting fires.
“Police and fire investigators became concerned about the amount of fires being lit at this period of time … it caused concern it was one of the Rural Fire Service firefighters. Police put a tracking device in his car.
“It placed him at the scene of three separate fires. In a remarkable circumstance that couldn’t just be bad luck. Still, today in sentencing him I find it extraordinary that he cannot in any way accept responsibility.”
Judge Pickering said the “tracking device evidence was extraordinary” and at one stage when Crawford reported one of the fires he “rang police giving a false name”.
Judge Pickering acknowledged the fires put other RFS members at risk.
“As I stressed in my judgment all fires contain risk. I accept they still involve him and his mates, his mates in the Rural Fire Service and that’s an aspect that adds to the seriousness.
“There is little doubt the community is concerned a member of the RFS was involved in lighting fires. Although he is a volunteer, we have great respect for the Rural Fire Service, it is incredibly disheartening one of them could be involved in lighting fires.”
According to documents tendered in court, during a police interview in January 2018, Crawford told officers he joined the RFS because he “didn’t have many friends”.
During court proceedings, Judge Pickering confirmed through psychologist reports there was “seemingly no mental illness involved in his decision to light these fires”, while noting family circumstances.
The judge noted the potential hardship to Crawford’s wife and his family, stating one of his children had suffered from health conditions.
“He now has three children aged four, two and the other is just a few weeks old.
“There’s no doubt there would be hardship if the offender is placed in custody. I don’t really think having three children under four amounts to significant hardship.
Crawford was sentenced to two years and nine months imprisonment with a non parole period of 16 months.
The father of three was supported by his wife Kylie Lamble who wept as the judge handed down the sentence.
Ms Lamble was offered the opportunity to comment outside but ignored media.