East Maitland house fire: Todd Anthony Rinkin charged over fire which hospitalised man, killed two cats

A man has been charged after a house fire in the Hunter Region saw a 28-year-old man hospitalised and led to the discovery of two dead cats.

Firefighters respond to a unit fire. Generic image.

A man already on a 24-hour curfew not to leave his father’s home has denied lighting two fires inside a friend’s home — significantly damaging the interior and leaving the owner in hospital and two cats dead.

Todd Anthony Rinkin, 44, was arrested barefoot about five kilometres away from the East Maitland home gutted by the early morning blazes on Sunday.

Police allege in facts tendered during Rinkin’s unsuccessful release application in Maitland Local Court on Monday that the homeowner had told officers he had woken before 5.30am to find Rinkin yelling “F**k. Fire. F**k. Fire” and the sound of smoke alarms.

The police facts said Rinkin had made a triple-0 call at 5.28am from a public pay phone about 100 metres from the burning home to report the fire and that a person was still inside.

The fire took place on Lawes St, East Maitland. Picture: Google Maps

When police arrived, the resident told police he had grabbed a bucket of water and attempted to extinguish the fire before being overcome with smoke and escaping.

The police facts said the resident was taken to Maitland Hospital treated for smoke inhalation and minor burns to his face and arms.

It is alleged that initial investigations “suggest there to be two points of ignition, one being in the living area, an the other being within the accused’s bedroom”.

Police facts said the bodies of the homeowner’s two cats were found inside Rinkin’s badly damaged bedroom.

A “dazed and intoxicated” Rinkin was arrested on Raymond Terrace Rd at Millers Forest about 8am, the police facts said.

“The accused was placed under arrest for being in breach of his 24-hour curfew bail,” the police facts said.

“He was cautioned and questioned about his movements that morning where he stated to police: “My flatmate’s house just caught on fire …” among other things.”

The charred house on Lawes St, East Maitland. Picture: Dan Proudman.

Rinkin was taken to Raymond Terrace police station where his clothing and a lighter was seized.

The police facts said when police spoke to the homeowner in hospital later that day, he said he had allowed Rinkin to stay after Rinkin’s caravan was lost during floods earlier this year.

“He told police that the previous day the accused had made a bonfire in the backyard of his house and had been burning some of his old paperwork to clean up,” the police facts said.

“[The resident] stated to police that he went to bed around midnight and thought the accused had gone to bed around the same time.

“He stated the next thing he remembers was being woken by the accused screaming about the fire.”

The police facts alleged Rinkin told police he “couldn’t tell you what happened”.

“Last I seen him [the resident] he was running around like a headless chook trying to put out a small waste paper basket fire,” Rinkin allegedly told police.

“The accused went on to say, “I ran outside to grab the hose and the hose wasn’t connected to the tap so I ran up to the payphone cause my phone was flat and then I rang them and they said a truck was coming,” the police facts said.

The facts later continued: “Police will assert that the fire was recklessly ignited by the accused.

A triple-0 call was allegedly made from a public pay phone about 100 metres away from the house fire. (File picture).

“This assertion is based on the fact that the neighbours [allegedly] sighted the accused lighting fires in the rear of the yard of the premises the day and night leading up to the fire, [the homeowner] has advised police that the accused [allegedly] likes to light candles while smoking bongs at the location, there is evidence to suggest that the accused has been acting erratically and irrationally over a period of days and this behaviour has been exhibited whilst in police custody,” the police facts said.

“The accused’s version of events differ to that of [the homeowner] with several discrepancies identified in the accused’s version,” police allege.

Police further allege that: “The accused supplied a version where he states that [the homeowner] presents with a metal bin with its contents alight, however a forensic examination has indicated that there is one metal bin within the premises and it has not been damaged by fire.

“Additionally, the only person awake at the time of the fire was the accused and one of the points of origin of the fire appear to be within the accused’s bedroom.”

Rinkin was charged with one count of initially or recklessly damage property by fire and refused police bail to appear in Maitland Local Court.

On Monday, Rinkin entered a not guilty plea to the charge and made a release application, his solicitor arguing her client could abide by a curfew and provide a surety.

Rinkin also needed ongoing treatment for post traumatic stress disorder.

But magistrate Ron Maiden refused the bail application and remanded Rinkin in custody until his next court appearance in November.