Jail for man who torched mate’s house

A MAN who fled Tasmania after burning down his mate’s house in a bid to force the victim to leave Queenstown has been jailed after police extradited him to face justice.

Four months after the May 2017 arson and while on bail, Benjamin Ronald Stirling offended again when he drunk drove through Hobart at “excessive speed” and crashed into a power pole, leaving another friend to suffer a fractured pelvis and collarbone.

The 35-year-old was sentenced in the Supreme Court of Tasmania last week for both crimes and was jailed for 4½ years.

Justice Michael Brett said Stirling, under the influence of drugs, set his former friend’s house on fire causing “total debena in the Walls of Jerusalem National Park.

Proponent Daniel Hackett yesterday said impact avoidance and mitigation measures had been applied as conditions to the permit. “The Lake Malbena project is, and has always struction” after “falling out”.

The victim was in police custody for other matters at the time and no one was hurt, but Justice Brett noted there was a risk the blaze could have set off other building fires or injure people nearby.

The total cost of the arson to the insurance company was $211,606, he said.

In September the same year, Stirling and two other friends were driving through Argyle St in New Town about 1.30am when he was breathalysed by police — clocking in at 0.153 and being immediately disqualified from driving.

Despite this, Stirling agreed to drive his friends home.

About 3.30am, he travelled at excessive speed through a sweeping left-hand bend — accelerating in response to his friend “urging” him to go faster. they had a He lost control of the vehicle, losing traction between his tyres and the road, overcorrecting and skidding before crashing into a power pole.

In a blood test taken a few hours later, Stirling had a “very high level of alcohol” in his blood with a reading of 0.176.

Justice Brett said the injured victim had exacted retribution following the crash, and Stirling subsequently left Tasmania to be in breach of his bail.

He was extradited from Queensland to face court after a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Stirling, who pleaded guilty to arson and was found guilty of dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm by jury, must serve two years and three months in jail before he is eligible for parole.