Teen arsonist seeks therapy sentence

Craven had been in a relationship with a young man and was unhappy about the way it had ended. Photo / File

A teenage girl who burnt down a Bay of Islands home to get back at her ex-boyfriend may go to a Buddhist retreat and volunteer with the SPCA before facing possible jail time.

Alexandra Craven, 17, of Haruru Falls, appeared in the Matariki Court in Kaikohe this week in relation to a fire which gutted a Paihia home on January 24. The blaze destroyed almost everything tenant Roger Harper and his son owned.

Craven was arrested within hours and charged with arson, burglary, intentional damage and possession of cannabis. She has pleaded guilty to all four charges.

Reading from the summary of facts, Judge Greg Davis said Craven had been in a relationship with a young man and was unhappy about the way it had ended.

She broke into his Paihia home and smashed some of his property, including a TV, then went into his father's bedroom and smashed his belongings as well. She then set her ex-boyfriend's clothing alight and did the same with his father's bedding.

Craven's June 12 court appearance was supposed to approve a plan prepared by whanau and social workers to identify the triggers for her offending, and help her learn to deal with them so if she faces the same circumstances again she won't react in the same way.

The four-part plan presented by her mother, aunt, social workers and a nun from the Buddhist retreat at Takou Bay included counselling and anger management; alcohol and drug assessment, with counselling if required; volunteering at the Buddhist Centre and SPCA; and a restorative justice programme with the victims. Her social workers had also asked the Fire Service if she could volunteer.

But Judge Davis was unconvinced by the plan, saying no one could explain to him how it would help identify and address the factors that caused her offending.

"This doesn't leave me bubbling with enthusiasm that anything's going to change. How will going to the Buddhist Centre help her change?"

Judge Davis relented only after Craven herself spoke, setting a deadline of July 11 for a more comprehensive plan to be prepared.

The victims of her arson attack included her ex-boyfriend and his father, the owners of the house and even the insurance company, "in as much as a faceless corporation can be called a victim", which could be out of pocket for a large sum of money.

Judge Davis said the maximum penalty for arson was 14 years' jail, seven for intentional damage and 10 for burglary.

Although she had no criminal record, she had earlier faced a charge in the Youth Court which Crown lawyer Moana Jarman-Taylor said was "very relevant" to the Paihia arson case.

"So the stakes for Miss Craven are very high. I cannot discount a term of imprisonment," Judge Davis said. Craven is due back in the Matariki Court on July 17.