Fire teen’s chance of redemption
A FAR North teen with a lengthy criminal history, who downed a bunch of beers then lit a bushfire which torched two cars, has avoided detention after appearing to be back “on the straight and narrow”.
The teen, who cannot be named, finished three cartons of mango-flavoured beer with a few friends, then returned home and used a cigarette lighter to start the fire behind his Horn Island house, the Cairns District Court heard.
He pleaded guilty late last year to setting fire to vegetation.
Crown prosecutor Matthew Hancock told the court the dry, windy weather at the time on November 4, 2019, resulted in the fire quickly spreading, destroying two abandoned cars, burning out about 1000 sqm of bushland and threatening homes before being brought under control by firefighters. “It was good luck rather than any effort by (the offender) that the fire didn’t spread,” he said.
He told the court the boy was arrested after police passed him driving towards the fire, arousing suspicion.
The court heard there had been a “spate” of arsons on the Torres Strait island at the time.
Defence barrister Bridie Bilic argued the boy had assisted in trying to douse the blaze with his sister giving evidence he had filled a black tub with water and tried to use it.
She also argued, despite a criminal history that dated back to when he was 13 and included a violent attempted armed robbery in 2018, his behaviour had markedly improved.
Ms Bilic said he had not committed another offence since the fire and was now planning to move to Tully to take up work on a banana farm.
“He is a young man facing challenges, but he is not without some significant chance of rehabilitation,” she said. His mother also told the court he was remorseful and turning his life around. “He felt very bad and sorry for what he did,” she said.
“I’m glad he’s got on to the straight and narrow now and doing something positive for himself.”
Judge Tracy Fantin sentenced him to six months probation and did not record a conviction.
A NEW K Hub store has opened at Port Douglas and customers were lining up to check out the latest offerings this week.
The
K Mart offshoot is one of 50 stores opened by the retail giant across the country this year and replaces the Target Country shop at the Port Village Shopping Centre.
K Hub Port Douglas manager Brent Beach said staff had been blown away by the interest in the new concept.
“People were literally lining up to get in the doors and things have been flying off the shelves,” he said.