Former RFS volunteer turned firebug Daniel Dennis sentenced over Wagga blaze, fake calls

Ashmont man Daniel Dennis, 34, was sentenced to a two-year community corrections order in Wagga Local Court on Monday for 16 charges relating to intentionally causing a fire and being reckless to its spread and making repeated false calls to an emergency service number.

In August, the former Yarragundry RFS volunteer pleaded guilty to 13 counts of making false triple zero calls and one of making vexatious calls.

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He had already entered guilty pleas to one count of intentionally causing a fire and being reckless as to its spread and a further count of making a false call to an emergency service number.

The fire charge related to an incident at San Isidore shortly after 2.10am on December 11, 2022.

Police facts tendered to the court reveal Dennis deliberately lit the grass fire and allowed it to spread to vegetation along the side of Kapooka Road, near the Sturt Highway intersection.

At the time, paramedics in a passing ambulance observed a small grass fire along the roadside and contacted emergency services.

About this time police said Dennis drove a Mazda 2 past the fire and accelerated rather than stopped, arousing the suspicion of one of the paramedics.

He then headed to the Yarragundry RFS station before returning to fight the blaze a short time later, where a paramedic recognised him as the driver of the car which drove past earlier.

The cause of the blaze was deemed suspicious and referred to police for further investigation.

In January, detectives from the State Crime Command's Financial Crime Squad Arson Unit, Riverina Police District and RFS fire investigators began investigating the San Isidore fire and a number of other suspicious fires in the Wagga area during December and January.

Police said Dennis called emergency services on numerous occasions between 2020 and 2022 with "a large number ... found to be fictitious".

Among the many false alarms were a fire at an Ashmont address, a brawl in Kooringal, a break-in attempt at an Ashmont service station, and a vehicle collision at the corner of Edward and Docker streets.

Dennis was also found to have made a number of vexatious calls to police, including a complaint about a neighbour who does burnouts every time he leaves his driveway and making a complaint about an abandoned vehicle parked on the street he wanted removed.

After inquiries, detectives searched a home on Bardia Street in Ashmont on February 9 before arresting Dennis and charging him at Wagga police station.

On Monday, Dennis appeared via video link from jail over an unrelated court matter.

When asked what made Dennis commit these offences, his solicitor said he "couldn't quite explain why he lit the fire or made the phone calls".

"[My client] instructs me he had some difficulties around this time," she said.

The court heard Dennis had "a number of family members pass away" and was struggling with his mental health.

However, she noted her client has "acknowledged the risk of harm he could have caused to members of the community".

The court also heard Dennis had been diagnosed with depression and anxiety.

Asking for leniency, his solicitor told the magistrate he had a criminal history that was "almost nil" and said there were good prospects for his rehabilitation.

Magistrate Don McLennan noted the aggravating factor of the fire offence was "that it was lit in the height of summer ... during the bushfire period", although he acknowledged the conditions were not as bad as they had been two to three years prior.

The magistrate also acknowledged the "repetitive" nature of calls to emergency services and the drain these would have had on resources.

"The calls to emergency services were repetitive ... while police responded to those matters, other more serious and appropriate calls were delayed," Magistrate McLennan said.

Taking all factors into account, the magistrate was "not of the view that full-time custody is warranted".

Dennis was handed a two-year community corrections order.

He was further convicted and fined $1500 and ordered to complete 100 hours of community service.

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