Woman jailed for lighting fire that gutted Karrakatta Cemetery chapel
A woman who set fire to a chapel in Perth's main cemetery, causing more than $3 million damage and widespread disruption, is sentenced to five years in prison.
Tianna Addison Diodato-Day, 30, has been sentenced to five years in prison after setting a fire that destroyed the Norfolk Chapel at Karrakatta Cemetery in Perth, causing over $3.4 million in damage. The court heard that Diodato-Day lit the fire to impress a group of friends and sent a video message to someone known as "Bunter," expressing her desire to be part of the friend group.
The District Court also heard that Diodato-Day was involved in a series of cemetery arsons in Mandurah, including one at Lakes Lawn Cemetery that caused $412,000 in damage. Judge Carmel Barbagallo emphasized that the Norfolk Chapel was a place of mourning, remembrance, and cultural significance, serving as the site for 40% of all funerals in Western Australia.
The fire forced the chapel to close for 12 months, disrupting funeral services for many families. The insurance payout will ultimately be borne by the community through higher premiums.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
