Housing ACT arsonist Samantha Chatfield still in government accommodation

This was revealed in the ACT Supreme Court on Friday, when Acting Justice Richard Refshauge sentenced Samantha Gaye Chatfield to an 18-month intensive correction order.

Chatfield, 30, had previously pleaded guilty to a single count of arson, admitting she had recklessly damaged a Denman Prospect townhouse by fire in May 2020.

In sentencing, Acting Justice Refshauge said Chatfield was distressed on the day in question following an argument with her then-partner.

She decided to burn relationship "memorabilia" in a courtyard at the government housing property, and the initial blaze did not spread beyond that area.

But she caused a second fire between the home's kitchen and loungeroom about the same time.

This resulted in what the judge described as "extensive and costly damage", including the collapse of the ceiling in some parts of the property.

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Acting Justice Refshauge said it was not clear exactly how the second blaze had come to be, with Chatfield having given various explanations.

But he accepted "in this case, Ms Chatfield intended to burn papers and photographs, not the house".

The judge noted while no specific individual could be nominated as the victim of the arson, it was not a victimless crime.

This was because the Denman Prospect property was a community asset, and there was less access to affordable housing for those in need of it as a result of the damage done in this case.

The court heard, when Chatfield's sentence proceedings began on Tuesday, the unemployed woman had been assessed as unsuitable to serve a jail term in the community by way of an intensive correction order.

But on Friday, Acting Justice Refshauge went against the recommendation and imposed one of these rather than sending Chatfield, who spent 65 days in custody on remand, back behind bars.

He noted the 30-year-old might be at a turning point in life, with the potential to gain greater access to her children seemingly a strong motivating factor in her desire to rehabilitate.

The judge said Chatfield had also recently been abstaining from illicit drug use, which was "a promising sign".

He told the offender he hoped the intensive correction order, together with family support, would help her finally put criminality in her past.

"The stupidity of the offences you've committed before just can't be allowed to continue," he said.

Chatfield must abide by some strict conditions as part of her intensive correction order, including a curfew that requires her to be at home between the hours of 8.30pm and 8am unless there is an emergency.

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