Michelle Dhurrkai in court over Milingimbi Police Station blaze

A Territory grandmother has admitted to accidentally causing $27,000 in fire damage to a remote police station.

Milingimbi station is one of 11 converted shipping containers used as a remote police station set up in 2007 during the Federal NT Intervention. Photo: NT Police Association

Standing over the dying embers of a fire, a Territory grandmother admitted to accidentally setting a remote Territory police station alight.

The Supreme Court heard Michelle Dhurrkai, 44, was using a traditional fire management practice near the Milingimbi Police Station when the flames raged out of control.

Dhurrkai was walking home alone the afternoon of Saturday, September 14, 2019, when she lit some grass with her cigarette lighter.

Justice Judith Kelly said it was a hot, dry, gusty day and the small flame was soon burning away.

“As the fire took hold, you kept walking home,” Justice Kelly said.

The grass fire was 19m north of the Milingimbi Police Station, a 2.8 hectare compound surrounded by a locked chain mesh fence.

Milingimbi station is one of 11 converted shipping containers used as a remote police station set up in 2007 during the Federal NT Intervention. Photo: NT Police Association

The remote station, one of 14 set up inside shipping containers during the 2007 NT Intervention, was not permanently staffed with officers travelling in from Ramingining.

Community members noticed the large fire at the back of the station, which soon consumed a wrecked vehicle and destroyed the waterpipes of the watch house.

The court heard Gerald Yawulkpy and Teddy Gaykamangu climbed over the barbed wire fence to put the fire out.

“That was a courageous thing to do and very quick thinking,” Justice Kelly said.

They were later joined by other community members who collectively spent two hours extinguishing the fire.

After it was put out, Dhurrkai said the first was “her fault”.

Through an interpreter she told police: “It was only a little one. It was just to burn the grass.”

The station was out of action for two months with the fire causing $27,000 in damage.

Justice Kelly said the grandmother “did not mean to cause any damage” by setting the fire.

“That is a traditional practice, and people do that,” she said.

“You just lit it to burn the grass, and you did not think it would get out of control.

“(But) you did not stay to see that the fire was under control.”

The court heard the Milingimbi grandmother possibly had undiagnosed cognitive issues going back to her childhood.

“You say you enjoyed school but had some learning difficulties and could never learn to read and write,” Justice Kelly said.

On December 8, Dhurrkai pleaded guilty to causing a fire and was sentenced to 12 months in prison, fully suspended.