<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A moment of fury has transformed into a decade-long jail term for an arsonist whose actions killed a young teen enjoying a sleepover with friends.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/arthur-haines-boy-killed-by-fire-at-sleepover-man-confesses-after-27-years-sydney-court/b9075b9a-0b7d-4438-8d70-aa4517d5fd19" rel="" target="" title="Arthur Haines"><span>Arthur Haines</span></a><span> was asleep on the top floor of a friend's house ahead of a visit to </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/sydney" rel="" target="" title="Sydney"><span>Sydney</span></a><span>'s Royal Easter Show in April 1998.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But he soon became the victim of a bitter neighbourhood dispute in inner-city Waterloo when Gregory John Walker threw a Molotov cocktail into the home's kitchen.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/arthur-haines-mother-confronts-sons-killer-after-decades-of-pain/598c14da-b4de-4f49-a2cc-b4f13146a649" rel="" target="" title="'There will never be justice': Mother confronts son's killer after decades of pain"><strong><span>'There will never be justice': Mother confronts son's killer after decades of pain</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The results were catastrophic," Justice Hament Dhanji told the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/new-south-wales" rel="" target="" title="NSW"><span>NSW</span></a><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/courts" rel="" target="" title="Supreme Court"><span>Supreme Court</span></a><span> today.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Arthur became trapped on the third floor as the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/fires" rel="" target="" title="fire"><span>fire</span></a><span> spread rapidly.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He was forced to jump from a window, landing smouldering and with severe burns on up to 65 per cent of his body.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/callous-arsonist-hears-fate-for-boys-sleepover-death/e3f26572-715c-40e6-9867-8a6ba7eafc7b" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The 13-year-old died in </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/hospitals" rel="" target="" title="hospital"><span>hospital</span></a><span> 11 weeks later.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>More than 27 years on, Walker kept his eyes downcast as he was sentenced to a maximum of 10 years and 9 months behind bars for Arthur's </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/manslaughter" rel="" target="" title="manslaughter"><span>manslaughter</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The 58-year-old demonstrated a "callous disregard for the enormity of what occurred" in the aftermath of the fire, the court heard.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>When a neighbour confronted him about the fire and said "I know you've done it", the then 30-year-old replied: "If you think that was a big fire, wait until you see my next one."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/bondi-beach-shooting-nsw-expected-to-pass-the-harshest-gun-reforms-in-australia/5c124ed4-0d82-47aa-abb9-78595c167b6e" rel="" target="" title="NSW expected to pass the harshest gun reforms in Australia"><strong><span>NSW expected to pass the harshest gun reforms in Australia</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But Walker had since shown remorse, Justice Dhanji said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In 2014, as police tried to mount a case against him, he told a witness he "wouldn't have gone through with it" if he knew children were inside the home.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Walker was arrested after NSW </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/police" rel="" target="" title="Police"><span>Police</span></a><span> offered a $1 million reward for information in 2020.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He has an extensive </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/crime" rel="" target="" title="criminal"><span>criminal</span></a><span> history with convictions dating back to the 1980s and was on parole at the time of the offence.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But evidence showed the former boxer had effectively turned his life around since his deadly actions in 1998, even establishing a not-for-profit for young people.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"There is an element of him attempting to make good on his past wrongs," Justice Dhanji said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But the judge also noted Walker only admitted unlawfully killing Arthur in October, on the eve of a trial for the more serious charge of </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/murder" rel="" target="" title="murder"><span>murder</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>That was despite Arthur's family's obvious desire and lengthy wait for answers.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"While the ledger cannot be squared by the good done by the offender in recent times, that contribution must be taken into account and given weight," Justice Dhanji said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>With time served, Walker will be eligible for parole in February 2029.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Arthur's mother Julie Szabo, who ensured the public never forgot her son during repeated media appearances seeking answers, was surrounded by loved ones as the sentence was delivered.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/victoria-gippsland-ross-river-virus-infections-rising/0df98428-4c6a-4831-8135-0fd71568c064" rel="" target="" title="Warning to travellers after Ross River virus detected in Victoria"><strong><span>Warning to travellers after Ross River virus detected in Victoria</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She previously detailed the heavy guilt she has carried since allowing Arthur to have his first sleepover with friends.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It was going to be the first night he had not slept under the same roof as me," Szabo wrote in a statement earlier read out in court.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I said 'yes' ... I think about that decision a lot.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"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."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Justice Dhanji thanked Szabo and acknowledged the pain felt by Arthur's </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/family" rel="" target="" title="family"><span>family</span></a><span> and the community.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"No sentence I impose can right the wrong that has been done," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Justice Dhanji also took into account a charge of maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm that Walker committed when he punched a neighbour and bit off part of his ear in April 1998.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f"><em><strong><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></strong></em></a><em><strong><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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