Jail for arson attack

A MAN who burnt down his home after his 43-year marriage fell apart has been sentenced to four and a half years jail.

Frederick Robert Douglas, who was given a “terminal” diagnosis, was living in his car and suicidal when he wrote four letters – one to his ex-wife, his mother and his two daughters – and detailed his plans to burn down the Charters Towers property, Townsville District Court heard.

On March 27, 2019, he wrote and sent the letters before buying 20 litres of diesel from a service station in Charters Towers. Douglas drove to the Haldane Rd home and poured diesel through the house before setting it alight.

While Douglas drove to Townsville, his family home, which was worth more than $500,000, was engulfed by flames.

By the time someone realised it was on fire, the house was destroyed.

His family received the letters just days after the fire gutted the home. The letters also revealed Douglas planned to commit suicide at Pallarenda.

Judge Gregory Lynham said the 70-year-old was located by police in Townsville two days later.

He made “immediate admissions” to police about burning the house down and showed them a letter, which explained his motivation was his wife leaving him while he was in hospital.

“You also explained that you had been recently told you had between weeks and a matter of months to live,” Judge Lynham said.

Douglas pleaded guilty to arson and sending documents to burn or destroy at the Townsville District Court.

After 11 months in pre-sentence custody, the grandfather was sentenced to four and a half years’ jail when he appeared in the Townsville District Court.

“It gives me no pleasure to sentence someone of your age, who has otherwise lived an unblemished life,” Judge Lynham said. “Many years of hard work and contribution to the community have been squandered by you.”

Judge Lynham said in a mental health report prepared for the courts, it was noted that Douglas was remorseful for his actions.

“You has incurred some large expenses that your (exwife) would be responsible for, it also seems clear to me at that stage you thought you had limited time to live … and I draw from the conclusion that this was one parting shot at (your ex wife),” he said.