A man who burnt down his family's rental home, destroying their possessions, has been sentenced.
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Aaron Thor Fraser, 43, had an argument with his ex-partner over the telephone and set fire to the Mount Doran house where he was living the next evening in February 2019.
He used a cigarette lighter to start the fire which destroyed the home they had all previously lived in together.
He was drunk at the time and suffering a depressive episode.
Firefighters found him sitting at the front gate of the house, watching it burn while smoking a cigarette.
Fraser told police 'fire cleanses all'.
He was taken to hospital for treatment and into custody the next day.
Fraser has been in prison since, a total of 941 days.
You set fire to the family home and belongings contained in it in a disturbed act of retribution which was directed at your ex-partner.
- Judge Mark Dean
He pleaded guilty to the charge of arson at a late stage, after a committal hearing and a trial date was set.
Defence barrister Alan Hands submitted on Friday the judge should take into consideration Fraser's mental impairment at the time of the offending.
Judge Mark Dean said the victim lost valued personal belongings and her sense of security was impaired following the destructive offending.
"You set fire to the family home and belongings contained in it in a disturbed act of retribution which was directed at your ex-partner," he said.
"My sentence must deter you and others from acting in this matter."
Judge Dean said any sentence must protect the community and people who leave domestic relationships.
The County Court of Victoria heard Fraser had a disadvantaged upbringing, alcohol abuse disorder, mental health issues and no family support.
Judge Dean said Fraser would need support in the community for rehabilitation.
Fraser was sentenced to three years and six months' imprisonment with a two year and six month non-parole period.
This means he will now be eligible for release on parole.
Fraser was ordered to pay $11,000 compensation to the victim which is the costs not covered by insurance.
Judge Dean said if not for Fraser's plea of guilty, he would have imposed a sentence of four years and six months imprisonment with a three year and six month non-parole period.
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