Timothy Ah-See, 27, pleaded guilty to using an offensive weapon to prevent arrest, destroying or damaging property, armed with intent to commit an offence and damaging property by fire following an incident on September 11, 2016. 

According to agreed facts, Ah-See became involved in an argument with his former partner.

The woman called police to remove him from the Mirral Way house, but when police arrived at about 10.30am, Ah-See refused to leave, walking out onto the verandah with a plastic jerry can and telling police “You f***ing dogs aren’t taking me anywhere” and threatened to burn the house down. 

During the next 90 minutes, Ah-See doused the front door with petrol, later punched through the loungeroom window and threatened to kill himself with a shard of glass if police did not leave, doused himself in petrol and lit a cigarette lighter.

Police urged Ah-See not to ignite the open jerry can and entered the house as Ah-See removed his shirt and lit it on fire before tossing it into the kitchen sink. 

A struggle ensued before NSW Fire and Rescue entered and soaked Ah-See with water and he was arrested. 

Public defender Ian Nash called Ah-See’s mother Karen Joy Sutton to the stand.

Ms Sutton told the court both she and her son had suffered domestic violence in their family and she had been a habitual drug user.

Ms Sutton said her son had witnessed negative interactions between her and the police, including one incident when he was eight, when the two of them had been held in the back of a police van.

“I would have had no trust [in police] back then,” she said. 

“I blame myself for it, he shouldn’t have suffered what he’s suffered because of me.”

Mr Nash said Ah-See did not intend to take a life.

“He was trying to get the police to go away,” he said. 

Director of Public Prosecutions solicitor Ben Page said the Crown conceded the behaviour was linked to his childhood experiences but Ah-See’s actions put a senior constable’s life at risk. 

“There was risk of injury to many other officers – there is certainly a need to impose a deterrent sentence to … afford the police some protection,” he said. 

Judge Julia Baly said Ah-See’s previous record of police assaults and escaping police denied him leniency.

But she found Ah-See’s childhood experiences with the police and his personality and depressive disorders had a direct effect on his actions and moral culpability. 

She also looked favourably on his use of inheritance money to start a furniture removal business. 

“Provided Mr Ah-See gets the help he needs and accepts that help, he does have very good prospects of rehabilitation,” she said. 

She sentenced him to a total of three years and six months’ jail, with two years and three months’ non-parole.