The Queen v Damian Joseph Skeens

The Queen has appealed against the sentence of 3½ years imprisonment for arson imposed by the District Court at Auckland on Damian Joseph Skeens, concurrent with a term of one year on a count of threatening to kill. Skeens had pleaded guilty to wilfully setting fire to his father’s house at Riversdale Road, Avondale on 4 February 2001, and also to threatening to kill his father. The court was required to determine whether the sentence was appropriate in the circumstances of the case, considering the appellant’s criminal history, the nature of the offence, and the risk to human life. The court considered the appellant’s criminal history, which included 53 previous convictions, including eight for violence-related offences, one for aggravated robbery, and others for dishonesty and cannabis offences. The court also considered the nature of the offence, which involved setting fire to the house in which his father was sleeping, and the risk to human life. The court concluded that the sentence was appropriate, taking into account the appellant’s criminal history, the nature of the offence, and the risk to human life. The court dismissed the appeal.