A man who was trusted to repair a childcare van instead drove it to Hamilton Gardens and set it alight, only to be caught by his own CCTV footage.

Jason Paul Monkley had spent months fixing the Ōtorohanga-based Kiwi Kids Club van.

The owner had shelled out $2900 for materials, but after telling her the work was done and he would take it for a warrant, Monkley instead drove the van to Hamilton Gardens in the dead of night and torched it.

His actions led to a charge of arson, and this week Monkley appeared in Hamilton District Court for sentencing before Judge Stephen Clark.

Court documents state Monkley twice denied any involvement in the blaze. However, his movements were tracked to the minute by the city council, BP and his own CCTV system.

The court heard the victim had arranged for Monkley to fix her company van in mid to late 2024. Over the following months, she paid $2900 for the work to be completed.

By 13 May, 2025, the van was ready to be picked up. Monkley contacted the victim and said he needed to take it for a warrant of fitness.

However, at 3.02am on 15 May, Monkley was spotted on his CCTV system leaving his house with a red petrol container in his Ford.

He was caught on CCTV at BP Whitiora 20 minutes later, before he returned home.

At 4.46am, he was seen putting a bike and a clear plastic container into the back of the van before driving off.

He drove through Gate 1 at Hamilton Gardens at 5.32am and parked the van near the main car park. He set it on fire soon after and then rode his bike home.

Police received a call about the fire at 5.51am from a member of the public.

When spoken to, Monkley denied any involvement and said the van was stolen from outside his house.

He was questioned a second time and told officers he had left it outside an associate's property, from where it was stolen.

Monkley, a sickness beneficiary, had earlier accepted a sentence indication, and his counsel Glen Prentice said nothing in a pre-sentence report suggested he was unsuitable for home detention. He had been on bail with no issues, and he could immediately pay the reparation of $3400, which included a $500 insurance excess.

Judge Clark read excerpts from the victim impact statement in which she said she had trusted Monkley.

She ran the childcare programme in Te Kūiti and Ōtorohanga "with little to no support from the community" and was "flabbergasted" by his actions.

While Monkley's motive was not discussed in court, the victim said he could have told her he was "having issues".

"She says she was somewhat stunned and disappointed, and you could have worked it out as she described you as a family friend."

Judge Clark said he could not see anything in his pre-sentence report that would warrant further credit, except perhaps the fact Monkley had offered to pay the reparation in full.

For that, and his plea, the judge sentenced Monkley to nine months' home detention from a starting point of 19 months' jail.

The judge ordered the reparation be paid within 14 days.