The sentencing range for arson in Western Australia, as identified in Bennett, is 2 years 8 months to 4 years 8 months in very serious cases and 2 years to 3 years 4 months in less serious cases (post-transitional, assuming guilty plea). A sentence of 3 years 3 months for arson causing over $100,000 damage to business premises, where there was no danger to life and the offender did not personally light the fire, is at the high end of the less serious category but not manifestly excessive. Voluntary disclosure of offending to police warrants additional leniency beyond the discount for a guilty plea, but the degree of leniency depends on the likelihood that guilt would otherwise have been discovered.
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