A highly-decorated former ambulance paramedic, David Higgins, will spend at least 10 years in gaol for attempting to strangle his former defacto and burn down her home in 2007.
48-year-old Higgins received the maximum sentence of 14 and a half years from Judge Ralph Coolahan in Newcastle District Court on Thursday.
Higgins had pleaded guilty in February to trying to strangle former partner, Leanne Egan, before setting her house on fire.
During sentencing submissions, Ms Egan said she had looked pure evil in the face the day she was attacked, and Higgins had asked for her forgiveness.
He’ll be eligible for parole in 2017.
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