Jennifer Louise Hay sentenced to 10yrs for death of Kylie Green

A woman who set fire to a couch on the porch of her ex-housemate’s home - ultimately trapping and killing disabled Wagga woman Kylie Green - has learned her fate.

A Tolland woman who set a house on fire which ultimately killed a 36-year-old woman trapped inside will spend 10 years behind bars.

Jennifer Louise Hay, 48, appeared via video link from Clarence Correctional Centre at Wagga District Court for sentencing after pleading guilty to manslaughter in July.

The court heard Hay set fire to a couch located on the porch of a house on Tichborne Crescent, Kooringal, in February 2019, after she was asked to move out of the property due to her constant arguing and bullying of disabled woman Kylie Green.

The court heard on February 21, 2019, Hay began to verbally abuse Ms Green and made fun of her about her bladder condition saying, “I am going to put you under the house like a f***ng dog, like you f***ing belong.”

As a result of Hay’s conduct towards Ms Green, the occupier of the home decided Hay could no longer live at the property.

Hay agreed to move out of the premises and on February 24, 2019, she collected her belongings about 3pm then began drinking at The Kooringal Hotel with friends before continuing on at a friends home.

The court heard at some point in the evening Hay was speaking of how she was very upset at being asked to leave the home.

Around 6am the next day, Ms Hay returned to the Tichborne Crescent home and set fire to a two-seater couch that was on the front patio with a cigarette lighter.

The couch quickly caught fire then spread to the wall of the patio and into the premises.

Hay left the scene at around 6.10am.

The house caught alight and the fire claimed the life of 36-year-old Kylie Green, who was trapped inside the Tichborne Crescent home at the time.

The fire swept through the front dining and living room, up the curtains, and filled the house with smoke.

One of the residents woke to the smell of burning rubber in the living room and saw flames engulfing the home, and banged on her sister (Kylie Green’s) bedroom door.

Jennifer Hay being arrested. Picture: Riverina Police District

The other resident of the home managed to escape out of a window however due to Ms Green’s disability, she was unable to climb out of a bedroom window.

Ms Green was telling her sister and neighbours she couldn’t get out the window, saying, “I can’t, I can’t” and remained lying on the floor while glass shattered around her.

Firefighters arrived and attempted to pull Ms Green out but were forced back by the heat so ferocious it melted one of the firey’s helmets.

Ms Green was pronounced dead after the fire was extinguished, while much of the house was significantly destroyed.

A fire investigation determined that the cause of the fire and the death was caused by the couch that was deliberately set alight.

Jennifer Louise Hay was sentenced after she set fire to a couch on her ex-housemates porch, ultimately burning the house, trapping and killing Wagga woman, Kylie Green.

Handing down Hay’s sentence, Judge Gordon Lerve said Ms Green would have suffered a horrible death.

“The only appropriate sentence in this case would be full time custody, no jail term can return the life of a loved one,” Judge Lerve told the court.

The Crown submitted the offence was above mid-range because Ms Hay attended the premises with the intention to deliberately set fire to the lounge on the front patio as revenge for being evicted from the premises.

Judge Lever was unable to find Ms Hay had good prospects of rehabilitation and ensured a lengthy parole period would provide supervision for her integration back into society.

Hay was convicted and sentenced to an aggregate sentence of 10 years and three months with a non-parole period of six years and 10 months. She will be eligible for parole on

March 20, 2027.