KEY POINTS:
A man who set fire to a campervan in the carpark of Te Papa while tourists slept inside has been sentenced to 18 months compulsory care.
Ian McGregor, 22, was sentenced at Wellington District Court today on three charges of arson, two of theft, two of driving while forbidden and one each of unlawfully interfering with a motor vehicle and failing to answer bail.
In the early hours of April 11 this year McGregor and a young co-offender stole a container of petrol from a vehicle and hid it in nearby bushes.
They later took it to the carpark area near Te Papa, poured some on the asphalt and set it alight.
They then went to a nearby campervan with tourists sleeping inside, poured petrol on it and tried unsuccessfully to light it.
They did the same to a house bus parked next to a campervan and this time the wheel caught fire.
Fortuitously the fire was put out by a passer-by before the occupants knew what had happened, but the risk to life and property was obvious, Judge Bruce Davidson said.
The victims were shocked to learn what had happened and now realised how lucky they were that there was a good outcome, he said.
McGregor had difficulties with development and learning, had an intellectual disability and a history of substance abuse.
"It's clear that you have a significant impairment which means you operate significantly below those with average intelligence," Judge Davidson said.
This resulted in poor self esteem, a lack of social skills and anger.
McGregor had previous convictions, and was on a sentence of supervision for arson at the time of the offending, for setting fire to wheelie bins near commercial premises in July 2005.
Judge Davidson gave McGregor credit for pleading guilty and took into account his intellectual impairment.
The crown accepted it was appropriate the judge make an order under the Intellectual Disability Compulsory Care and Rehabilitation Act, detaining McGregor as a secure care recipient.
Judge Davidson said this was preferable to imprisoning McGregor with older, more experienced criminals who prey on the young and vulnerable.
"They would use you for their own purposes, I am entirely sure."
On the three arson charges he was ordered to be detained for care for 18 months, and was convicted and discharged on the other charges.
- NZPA
