Emilia Wang fronts court for setting fire to a house

Young woman torches her ex-partner’s parents’ Brookfield house and kills the family cat following fiery text messages between the former love birds.

Emilia Wang leaving County Court after being sentenced to a community corrections order.

Fragile mental health and good prospects for rehabilitation were among factors that saved a young woman who torched the house of her ex-partner’s parents from going to jail.

Emilia Wang was sentenced by the County Court in Melbourne on Monday to three-and-a-half years community corrections order on a charge of arson.

The 20-year-old set fire to her ex Jamel Cabucol’s parents’ house in Brookfield on the evening of April 17, 2022 after an argument during text messaging.

Wang and Mr Cabucol started a relationship in July 2021 and within a few months, according to a police summary of facts, were living together at a house owned by Mr Cabucol’s parents in Brookfield, in Melbourne’s west.

But the relationship soured, and in March 2022, Wang moved in with her mum in Point Cook, although the former couple remained in contact.

Emilia Wang set fire to her ex-partner’s parents’ house in Brookfield, killing the family cat.

About 7pm on April 17, 2022, Wang informed Mr Cabucol that she had returned to the Brookfield house, and Mr Cabucol told her she could stay there for five days.

An argument developed during their text messaging and when Mr Cabucol asked her to leave, she challenged him to call the police.

After he texted Wang that he was calling the police, she set fire to the house which spread quickly.

When firefighters arrived at the scene, the fire was well advanced and it appeared some accelerant had been used.

Firefighters entered through the front door but were soon forced to withdraw as

the roof began to collapse.

A teleboom and external hose lines were used and the fire was brought under control after about 20 minutes, but not before the house was destroyed and Mr Cabucol’s cat had been killed.

Wang turned up at the scene three hours later and told police “I think I caused the house to be on fire”.

Text messages between former love birds Emily Wang and Jamel Cabuco turned fiery with the former torching his parents’ house in Brookfield.

When asked how she did it, Wang replied, “Impulse... mental meltdown. I poured the oil. I just remember I poured oil”.

Judge Angela Ellis said the insurance Mr Cabucol’s parents received didn’t cover the rebuild and their home was now being demolished. She said Mr Cabucol’s mother was having difficulty finding a builder to do the rebuild and was depressed and hurt knowing she couldn’t build another home for her family.

Judge Ellis said it was an extremely serious offence as the house was situated in a densely populated neighbourhood and the fire could have impacted on other properties.

She highlighted Wang’s protracted rocky relationship with her mother and her exposure to violence at home as factors that contributed to the young woman’s mental health issues over the years.

However, the judge said Wang was now in a stable relationship with her mother, she planned to complete a bachelors in early childhood education and had good prospects of rehabilitation.

While the offence was serious and would normally warrant a term of imprisonment, Judge Ellis said first time offender Wang escaped prison by the “narrowest of margins”.