Vic: Man admits killing two in fire

AAP General News (Australia)
12-05-2003
Vic: Man admits killing two in fire

MELBOURNE, Dec 5 AAP - Hours after their meeting at a nightclub, a young couple lay
dead in a smoke-filled house: victims of the woman's disgruntled former tenant, the Victorian
Supreme Court was told today.

Luthanuel (Luthanuel) Chambers, 28, has pleaded guilty to two counts of causing death
through an act of arson.

Chambers' barrister, Aaron Shwartz, told Justice John Coldrey at a pre-sentencing hearing
today his client was not aware the 22-year-old woman and her new boyfriend were in the
house.

Chambers used kerosene to start a fire at the house in Armstrong Street North, Ballarat,
on October 17 last year.

Kate Reeve, 22, who lived in the house, and Andrew Maple, 24, whom she had met earlier
at the local Extremity nightclub, died after being overcome by fumes.

The court heard Chambers owed Ms Reeve up to $1,000 in back rent, and was upset because
she had burned some of his possessions in the backyard.

She thought he had "done a runner" to escape the debt.

In a document before the court, the Crown said Chambers told a friend he went to the
house with the kerosene, poured it on the floor, struck a match and then "got the hell
out of there".

He then went to a look-out known as Black Hill to watch the fire, later telling a friend
he "burnt her house because she had burnt his stuff".

Mr Shwartz said his client suffered from a personality disorder which rendered him
prone to self-mutilation and suicidal tendencies.

Justice Coldrey will sentence Chambers on a date to be fixed.

AAP sew/ag/tma/br

KEYWORD: CHAMBERS

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