When the fire was lit vapours from the accelerant ignited in a vapour explosion. A fire developed in the lounge and quickly took hold and burned many parts of the house.
The boys woke up and only escaped by breaking an escaping through their bedroom window, the decision stated.
French was later found by emergency services naked and in apparent shock. She had minor injuries which were later shown to be self-inflicted.
She told police she had been attacked sexually by an intruder with a knife. She said someone had been around her property on preceding nights and that her husband had threatened to kill her.
At the Court of Appeal her lawyer Christopher Wilkinson-Smith argued the appeal against her sentencing on three grounds -- that sentencing Judge Allan Roberts erred in taking into account an aggravating factor that was disputed, that the starting point was too high and that Judge Roberts failed to consider French's mental health issues, including a major depressive disorder.
An appeal against her conviction was abandoned.
In the reasons given by the Court of Appeal released today, Justice Alan MacKenzie said the sentence imposed by Judge Allan was not manifestly excessive and summarily dismissed the appeal.
