Scorned lover bashes his ex-girlfriend with a tomahawk before burning her home to the ground in a meth-fuelled rampage
- Patrick John Scofield struck his ex-girlfriend’s shoulder with a tomahawk twice
- The 37-year-old set the woman’s home on fire while she and others were inside
- Scofield committed the crimes while he was high on meth as an act of revenge
- He sent her messages threatening to kill her before he destroyed her home
A man who was high on meth when he bashed his ex-girlfriend with a tomahawk before setting her home on fire while she was still inside has been jailed.
Patrick John Scofield, 37, started the blaze on the ground floor of her home in Alawa, Darwin, at 9.15pm on December 22, 2018.
He struck his former girlfriend’s shoulder with the tomahawk twice at about 6pm, while she was laying in bed.
Patrick John Scofield, 37, started the blaze on the ground floor of her home in Alawa, Darwin (stock image)
Scofield was sentenced to six years behind bars at the Supreme Court on Friday and will be eligible for parole in three years, NT News reported.
Scofield committed the crimes to take revenge on his ex-girlfriend after she moved out of his home.
He sent messages threatening to kill the victim through text messages.
‘You are my woman, will hunt you down and kill you,’ one read.
‘I will cut you up and feed you to the crocs,’ another wrote.
He was aware at least four people were upstairs when he fire started, which quickly spread.
One person inside the house was taken to hospital for smoke inhalation, while another left was left homeless.
Justice Judith Kelly described Scofield’s crimes as ‘brazen’.