Threw matches at petrol station

A MAN who threw lit matches and a burning piece of paper on to a petrol station forecourt could have caused ‘‘a catastrophic event’’, a judge says.

Andrew Kaitana’Marii (41) appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday after pleading guilty to attempted intentional damage.

The defendant who has a history of mentalhealth problems went to Great King St on the afternoon of May 22.

Kaitana’Marii was noticed by the Caltex servicestation staff standing on the footpath staring at the forecourt.

Eventually the defendant removed a box of matches from his pocket.

He lit the first and dropped it to his feet.

The next three he ignited and flicked them on to the forecourt.

They fizzled out so Kaitana’Marii moved in closer and pulled a piece of paper from his pocket, which he lit using one of the matches.

He tossed the burning piece of paper towards the petrol pump.

A police summary said it landed 1.5m away and was close to an lpg pump.

Staff members rushed over and extinguished the mini fire before there was any explosion.

A Caltex manager said there were 50,000 litres of petrol in the underground tanks at the time.

Any naked flames in the vicinity were an extreme hazard because of the fumes present, they said.

Police found Kaitana’Marii in Dunedin’s central business dis trict less than a kilometre away.

He was ‘‘very agitated’’ and declined to comment.

Judge John Macdonald noted the defendant had an extensive list of convictions, which included 13 for wilful damage.

‘‘The possibility of a catastrophic event was very real,’’ he said.

There were no previous instances of arson in his history.

Kaitana’Marii was remanded in prison after the charge was laid but was later transferred to Wakari Hospital because he refused his medication.

Defence counsel John Westgate said he was back at Otago Corrections Facility now.

Judge Macdonald sentenced Kaitana’Marii to 12 months’ imprisonment.

It is understood he will soon be released on the basis of the time he served on remand.

Kaitana’Marii told the court he was keen to go back to the service station to apologise for his behaviour.

‘‘I wouldn’t go down to the petrol station on your own,’’ the judge said.