Dayne Askew and Brody Kavanagh sentenced for burning a car at Clearview in an act of revenge

Two friends who decided to take the law into their own hands, setting fire to a car in an act of revenge, believed the owner had stolen money from one of them.

Two men set a car on fire in an act of revenge, believing that the owner had stolen money from one of them.

Dayne Aaron Askew, 27, and Brody Owen Kavanagh, 28, were sentenced in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Friday for the dangerous act.

The duo set a car valued at under $30,000 on fire at Clearview on April 18.

Oliver Cole, for Askew, told the court he and the victim had been watching a sporting game together a week prior and Askew had fallen asleep.

“Upon waking up he discovered there was around $1000 missing from his draw,” Mr Cole said.

“In his eyes, the complainant was the only person who would have had the opportunity to have taken that.”

The court heard the victim paid Askew a small amount of the money but then demanded it back.

“Quite obviously Mr Askew responded to that in quite an inappropriate and serious manner,” Mr Cole said.

“Mr Askew himself suffered some burns from the conduct.”

The court heard Askew runs his own business installing outdoor blinds.

Dayne Askew was sentenced to a good behaviour bond in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Friday. Picture: Facebook

Penelope Davis, for Kavanagh, told the court Kavanagh had been drinking with Askew the night of the arson attack and went along with it “to protect him”.

“Unfortunately on that night, on impulse and out of a misguided sense of duty to look out for his friend, he involved himself in a dispute that wasn’t his,” she said.

“He made a very foolish decision to go around, he picked up the jerry can, it was on fire – it burned his leg badly.”

The court heard Kavanagh, who is a father-of-one, occasionally works in the labouring industry.

Askew, of Enfield, and Kavanagh, of Rostrevor, both pleaded guilty in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Friday to arson.

Magistrate Brett Dixon said arson was a serious offence, with many possible consequences.

“It is a particularly dangerous act and … mindless,” he said.

“You, Askew, were involved for retribution, in effect taking the law into your hands … you pursued revenge.

“You, Mr Kavanagh, got involved in something you knew could be dangerous and became involved anyway.”

Mr Dixon sentenced the duo to four months jail, suspended on a 12 month good behaviour bond of $100.