Arsonists punished for Masterton blaze

BLAZE: January's Waingawa River bank fire was started by two young men who were setting patches of dry grass alight with a cigarette lighter. Photo/Nathan Crombie

Two young men setting fires in grass near an airfield in Masterton had to call emergency services when the fires got out of hand.

Sean Joseph Hart was with his co-offender on January 6 when they were using a cigarette lighter to set fire to dry patches of grass on the side of the Waingawa River adjacent to the airfield, Judge Allan Roberts said in the Whanganui District Court on Tuesday.

"Eventually it got away from you," Judge Roberts said. "At least you had the sense to call emergency services before fleeing."

Hart was given the opportunity to complete diversion and avoid a conviction, but declined to do so.

He was interviewed by Restorative Justice, who found "remorse was not at an elevated level", the judge said.

"A representative of the fire department was willing to give his time to engage with you."

The firefighter offered to spend just over an hour teaching Hart about fire safety.

"All you had to do was sit through that. On the day of the scheduled appointment, you indicated an intention that you weren't going to attend."

Hart pleaded guilty to wilful damage and Judge Roberts sentenced him to 75 hours of community work.

"If you don't attend that, you run the risk of a sentence of imprisonment," he said.