‘I’m going to light you up and kill you’: Man who threw petrol on ex and neighbour spared jail

A father-of-three who threw petrol on his ex-partner and threatened to ‘light her up’ claimed he did it to scare her off, a court has heard.

A South Australian man has been spared jail time after he threw petrol on his ex-partner and threatened to set her alight.

Ricky David Barwell pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated threatening life after an “extremely serious” incident that occurred in January 2020.

His relationship with his de facto partner of about five and a half years ended in May 2019, but the pair continued to live together for some time for the sake of their two children, according to sentencing remarks.

Barwell also fathered a third child with a Thai national woman who now lives with the mother.

The Adelaide District Court heard the victim told Barwell she planned to move out when their lease expired on January 20.

As she began to move larger items from the home on January 14, arguments occurred between the pair which resulted in the presence of police.

Judge Geraldine Davison told the court the victim returned to the property later that afternoon thinking Barwell was not there, but could feel him pushing against the front door.

The court heard the situation later escalated when Barwell lunged towards the victim and a neighbour, who were standing at the bottom of the driveway.

He opened the red plastic five litre petrol container on top of his ex’s head as well as onto the neighbour.

Ricky David Barwell threw petrol from a five litre plastic container on his ex-girlfriend's head and threatened to "light her up".

According to the remarks, Barwell then poured the rest of the petrol onto the roof of the victim’s car saying “sucked in b***h, f**k you”.

“She was screaming. She could feel the petrol burning on her skin and eyes, and it was very painful,” Judge Davison said.

The court heard Barwell then flicked a cigarette lighter at least four to five times.

“(The woman) genuinely thought she was going to be set alight and naturally felt very scared.

“She kept screaming at you to stop and that you were scaring her.

“You screamed at her ‘f**k off, b***h, I’m going to light you up and kill you’.”

The matter was heard in the Adelaide District Court on March 4. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Dean Martin

Judge Davison said Barwell’s actions had a “significant impact” on the victim, whose anxiety was now triggered by the smell of petrol.

“She did not expect you to become so aggressive.

“She was also concerned, of course, because of a case that occurred in Queensland where a woman and her children were burnt in their car.

“Things like that trigger her emotions and she feels very thankful that your children were not present to witness the incident that occurred.”

Citing a psychologist report, Judge Davison said Barwell threw the petrol in an attempt to scare his ex and neighbour so they would leave the property, but did not recall flicking the lighter.

She said the man had “responded positively” since being released from custody and had made progress in the community.

Barwell was sentenced to three years and three months in home detention, with a non-parole period of 22 months.