No jail for ATM arsonist

A FURIOUS yet frail pensioner who torched a Geelong West ATM has been slapped with a three-year community corrections order.

Ivan Russell Edwards, of Norlane, was described by the judge as enduring a “sad and lonely existence,” with the pensioner managing to escape jail time for the highly-publicised Pakington St arson attack on the ANZ branch.

Security footage available on the Geelong Advertiser website showed the frustrated ANZ customer attacking the automatic teller machine with a jemmy before dousing it in petrol and setting it on fire.

Aged 72 at the time, Edwards committed the crime about 2.30am on Easter Monday last year and pleaded guilty to the arson attack this week.

The court heard cashstrapped Edwards was frustrated at his inability to withdraw his pension from the ATM over the Easter holidays.

Against medical advice, he had discharged himself from hospital hours before his trip to the bank at what was described as “an unusual hour of the evening” and the urinary tract infection he was suffering likely clouded his mind.

Judge Frances Hogan described Edwards’s offending as unsophisticated, given he visited the Geelong Police Station to complain about the ANZ prior to the arson attack.

She noted Edwards was also wearing the same clothes from the security camera footage when police visited his home.

“Your offending was unsophisticated and it was only a matter of time before you were apprehended,” the judge said.

“It is difficult to determine whether or not you are truly remorseful and in other circumstances, your actions would result in a term of imprisonment.”

However, Judge Hogan said Edwards had multiple health problems which would have made prison an unsuitable punishment for the 73-yearold pensioner.