Man jailed for arson attack on PM's electorate office

John Key's Helensville electorate office in Kumeu was fire bombed. Photo / Herald on Sunday

The man who torched Prime Minister John Key's west Auckland electorate office and a rugby club building has been jailed for four and a half years.

However, in the Auckland District Court today Judge Mark Perkins said there was no point in making a reparation order to cover the damage of more than $100,000 to both buildings because Daniel Vale could not pay it.

Vale, 32, was appearing for sentence today on two charges of arson after pleading guilty at a callover in February. He admitted lighting a fire at the Helensville Rugby Club in August last year and at Mr Key's electorate office in Kumeu three weeks later.

The rugby club was also used by an alternative school. Damage to the part of the building occupied by the rugby club was $53,000 and damage to the part of the building occupied by the school was $40.000. The damage to Mr Key's electorate office three weeks later was more than $10,000.

During his sentencing remarks Judge Perkins said Vale had 142 previous convictions although none was for arson. He had shown no remorse or insight into the damage he had caused. He lit both fires while he was on supervision for previous offences.

The judge gave Vale credit for his early guilty plea and his mental state raised in pre-sentence psychiatric reports.

He said pre-sentence reports showed Vale had a personality disorder and some intellectual impairment which were concerning issues although they were relatively undiagnosed.

Those issues had been highlighted by substance abuse, he said.

He also ordered that psychiatric reports be made available to prison authorities and recommended Vale get counselling and psychiatric assistance during his sentence.

Crown prosecutor Kate Mills told the court Vale's list of convictions included 31 for burglary, 34 for wilful damage and 13 for unlawfully taking or getting into motor vehicles.

She said his pre-sentence report did not make cheerful reading and Vale was not prepared to take responsibility for the damage he had caused. The risk that he would offend again was high.

For Vale Nicholas Wintour produced a letter addressed to Mr Key and apologising for the damage he had caused.

The letter gave an indication of how Vale was thinking in terms of his naivety and culpability, Mr Wintour told the court. He clearly lacked an insight into his behaviour and an ability to modify that behaviour.

- NZPA