Elizabeth Butt: Renter admits to burning down Kyle Bay house during eviction
A mother took drastic action when sheriffs turned up at home to evict her after she failed to pay her rent. Find out how she set fire to the southern Sydney house.
St George Shire Standard
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A mother has admitted to burning down her south Sydney home after sheriffs attempted to evict her due to unpaid rent.
Elizabeth Mary Butt, 54, appeared in Sutherland Local Court on Tuesday where she was due to be sentenced but her case was adjourned.
Details of why she set fire to her Kyle Bay house can be revealed after she pleaded guilty to damaging more than $15,000 worth of property and two counts of assaulting a law officer.
A fourth charge of throwing a missile at a law officer was withdrawn.
Agreed facts tendered to court said Butt’s then-husband began leasing the Riverview Ave three-bedroom, single-storey home in 2007.
In February, the real estate agency managing the home was made aware Mr Butt had left the property after separating from his wife.
The documents said Butt refused to make rental payments, prompting the owners to arrange for her to be evicted.
On the morning of June 2, two male sheriffs went to the home to force Butt to leave and for a locksmith to change the locks.
Butt met the sheriffs at the door before slamming it shut when they tried to explain the eviction warrant.
Butt’s two sons allowed sheriffs into the home before they packed up some belongings and left.
About two hours later, the sheriffs saw Butt pick up a five litre petrol tin from the garage and she faced the men.
The sheriffs asked her to put it down but instead she threw the petrol tin at them, the documents said.
The cap was not secured and petrol poured out near the men.
Butt held a lighter in her hand before she said words to the effect of, “the owners are going to pay for this now. I’ll f*** the property up”, according to the documents.
The sheriffs left the house, fearing for their safety and called police and firefighters.
While they were each on the phone to Triple-0, Butt walked out of the garage and a large plume of black smoke started bellowing out.
Butt walked down the driveway, before yelling, “now the landlords will see how much the property is worth”.
Police arrived a short time later and arrested Butt on Connells Point Road.
Firefighters extinguished the blaze and determined the ignition point was from a petrol tin in the lounge room.
Butt was taken to Kogarah Police Station where she was charged.
Butt faced Parramatta Local Court in June where she was refused bail with the court hearing at the time the house was left uninhabitable and $500,000 in damage had been caused.
In court on Tuesday, Magistrate Hugh Donnelly noted Butt faced serious charges before he ordered a sentence assessment report be completed.
Butt will be sentenced on October 4.
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