A Kempton Park woman convicted of setting her Birchleigh home alight, resulting in the death of her husband and several animals, has been sentenced to eight years’ direct imprisonment.

Kempton Express reports that Caroline Travers (52) was yesterday (May 18) sentenced in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court after previously being found guilty on charges of arson, animal cruelty and attempted murder.

The charges stem from a fire that broke out at the Travers family home on Essenwood Street on the night of March 11, 2022.

During the incident, Gregory Travers, two dogs and a bird were trapped inside the burning house. Gregory later died due to his injuries, while the animals died in the blaze.

Trial evidence

The sentencing follows months of testimony from eight state witnesses, including neighbours, community patrollers, police officials and fire experts.

Evidence presented during the trial revealed that Travers admitted to starting the fire and had on several occasions expressed a wish that her husband would die.

During earlier proceedings, a fire expert testified that the blaze originated in the lounge area and was deliberately started, ruling out accidental or electrical causes.

Travers testified in her defence that she had started what she described as a ‘controlled fire’ in an attempt to force her husband to open a locked bedroom door.

However, the court rejected her version, finding it improbable and inconsistent with the evidence before it.

Court findings

In delivering judgment, the magistrate found that Travers intentionally set the house alight and acted with dolus eventualis, meaning she foresaw the possibility that her husband could die and reconciled herself with that outcome.

She was subsequently found guilty on all three charges before being sentenced to eight years’ direct imprisonment.

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