Court Delivers Verdict in Decades-Old Case
In a significant legal development, a man has received a prison sentence for his involvement in a 1998 fire that claimed the life of a teenage boy during what was supposed to be his initial overnight stay at a friend's residence.
On December 22, the New South Wales Supreme Court imposed a maximum term of 10 years and nine months on Gregory John Walker, linked to the passing of Arthur Haines. This information was confirmed by multiple Australian media outlets.
Although Walker faced a murder charge in 2022, he entered a guilty plea to manslaughter prior to his trial earlier this year.
The Tragic Incident
On April 9, 1998, Haines was staying overnight at a Sydney home when Walker launched a Molotov cocktail into the building. Walker carried out this act under the mistaken belief that a neighbor had damaged his partner's vehicle with paint.
Reports indicate Walker stated he was unaware anyone was inside the house. He drove to the rear of the property and tossed the incendiary device over a fence, aiming for the back veranda, but it ended up in the kitchen instead.
Haines, who was sleeping upstairs, escaped by jumping from a window. He suffered burns covering 65% of his body and succumbed to his injuries in a hospital 11 weeks later.
During the sentencing hearing, Justice Hament Dhanji remarked to the court, “The results were catastrophic.” Walker reportedly kept his gaze lowered throughout the proceedings.
Statements and Background
In 2014, Walker allegedly told a witness he “wouldn’t have gone through with it” had he known children were present in the home.
His arrest in 2020 followed a $1 million reward offered by NSW Police for information regarding the 1998 event. The court was informed that Walker, a former boxer with a criminal record extending back to the 1980s, had later reformed, establishing a non-profit boxing gym for youth.
Justice Dhanji noted, per reports, “It appears he has steered a number of young people away from the path he went down. While the ledger cannot be squared by the good of the offender in more recent times, that contribution must be taken into account and given weight.”
In a written apology to the judge, Walker expressed remorse to Haines's family, stating he felt "shame and embarrassment" over the incident. He wrote, "There are no words I can say that can ever bring back Arthur and I have been living with guilt, shame and regret over what happened for decades now." He further clarified it was never his intention “to actually hurt anyone that night, let alone take someone's life.”
Due to time already served since 2022, Walker will become eligible to seek parole in February 2029.
Family Impact
Haines's mother, Julie Szabo, described how she continually revisits the events in her thoughts. Her statement included, per sources, “It was going to be the first night he had not slept under the same roof as me. I said ‘yes’ … I think about that decision a lot.” She added, “I gave him the biggest hug, we both said we loved each other, I didn’t know at the time it would be one of our last hugs.”
