Former Albury man Mathew David Jeffery sought leave to appeal his conviction by a County Court jury in Wodonga and the subsequent two-year jail sentence imposed by Judge Marilyn Harbison.

But a Supreme Court judge sitting in the Victorian Court of Appeal has rejected both avenues.

Justice Robert Redlich said particular weight was attached by the sentencing judge to the principles of community protection and general deterrence.

“The offence endangered the public,” Justice Redlich said.

“While no one was injured or lasting property damage occurred, the potential for disaster and loss of life was great.

“Protection of the community and strong denunication of the conduct were strong sentencing considerations.”

Jeffery, 24, was found guilty in March last year by a jury on two counts relating to fires at Huon Hill in 2007.

He had pleaded not guilty to reckless conduct endangering serious injury and two counts of deliberately lighting fires.

It was alleged Jeffery lit a fire at Whyte’s Road on January 20 before lighting two further fires at Huon Hill.

The jury found him not guilty of the fire at Whyte’s Road, but guilty on the other charges.

Jeffery received a three-year jail term with a minimum of two years to be served.

Judge Harbison said when sentencing him in July last year that the blaze did not injure anyone or damage property, but the consequences could have been far more serious.

“The temperature peaked at 39 degrees, the winds were up to 63km/h, the area was tinder dry, it was the height of summer,” she said.

“No Victorian should need to be reminded of the horror caused by bushfire.”

Judge Harbison said Jeffery was seen by witnesses emerging from the Huon Hill area where a small fire was burning.

The fire grew into a “raging inferno” which took 150 firefighters five hours to control.

Judge Harbison said there was no evidence of Jeffery’s motivation and, because he denied it, she could not judge his prospects for rehabilitation.