A MAN who intentionally burned down his own home - a public housing premises - at Raymond Terrace earlier this year has avoided being sent to jail.
Magistrate Justin Peach described the actions of Garry John Wright as "bizzare" when he sentenced the 63-year-old in Raymond Terrace Local Court on Wednesday.
According to a statement of agreed facts, Wright was living at the fibro, four-bedroom Morton Street home, overseen by Hume Community Housing, with his adult son.
Wright called his ex-wife at about 9am on March 17 and told her he planned to douse the house in petrol and set it on fire.
She contacted emergency services before Wright called her a second time and told her the house was alight.
Firefighters extinguished the blaze but the home would ultimately have to be demolished.
Police found Wright standing near his car with a neighbour when they arrived at the scene.
Wright told them he had been using petrol in the laundry and accidentally started a fire.
But when police made it clear they were aware of his threats to burn down the house, Wright responded: "no comment".
He was arrested and charged with intentionally damaging property by fire - which the court heard on Wednesday carries a maximum 11 year jail term.
Wright told police after his arrest that he suffered from post traumatic stress disorder related to his childhood.
He also said he was glad to see the Morton Street home burn because it had been the scene of many of the issues he had faced.
The court heard on Wednesday that Wright had given up alcohol and was "extremely remorseful and ashamed of what he did".
Magistrate Peach sentenced Wright to a 12-month intensive correction order (ICO) - which is seen legally as a prison term served in the community, under supervision - including 80 hours of community service.
Any breaches of conditions are dealt with by the state's parole authority - not the courts - under an ICO.
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