North Queensland man sentenced in Townsville Magistrates Court after drenching self in fuel, threatening to light self on fire

An NQ man armed with a cigarette lighter after pouring petrol on himself has fronted court for making disturbing threats towards his ex. (Warning: content discusses themes of suicide)

North Queensland man sentenced in Townsville Magistrates Court after drenching self in fuel, threatening to light self on fire picture: istock

A man’s disturbing threats have been revealed in court after he doused himself in petrol and stood in his front yard, armed with a lighter threatening to set himself alight.

The 58-year-old man who cannot be named to protect the identity of the woman involved fronted Townsville Magistrates Court on Thursday for what was labeled as “extreme domestic violence offences”.

Police prosecutor Lennon Stathoulis said on Christmas Eve last year the man yelled at his ex-girlfriend from his front yard, hurling a barrage of “obscene and derogatory” abuse.

“He went into his house then returned pouring petrol all over himself, and threatened to burn himself,” the prosecutor said.

“He stayed in his front yard with a cigarette lighter until the neighbours grabbed him and took him inside the house and washed him.”

The court was told when police arrived they took him to the hospital for examination before he was released that afternoon.

“Later that evening at 8:45pm the woman overheard yelling coming from outside her unit,” Mr Stathoulis said.

“She saw it was the man who began abusing her using derogatory language again.”

The drunken man threatened to burn down the woman’s unit, and she immediately called the police in fear.

“When police arrived he was intoxicated and smelt of fuel,” Mr Stathoulis said.

“It would have been terrifying and frightening for her, to have these things said.

“The capacity to commit the suicide was real, he had a cigarette lighter and was covered in fuel. It’s terrifying behaviour and an extreme example of domestic violence.”

Defence lawyer Mr Proctor highlighted that his client stayed within his own yard boundary when doused in petrol, and that there were no allegations he was on the woman’s property and didn’t go near her.

“My client was experiencing a mental health breakdown, compounded by consumption of alcohol,” he said.

He shared that his client had now been frequently speaking with a psychologist and that the man’s mental health had improved “significantly” and was now taking regular medication.

The lawyer also assured the court the man had moved away from the woman, so there would be no risk of him reoffending.

Magistrate Carol Lee reiterated the concern the man’s offending would have imposed on the woman and his neighbours, however acknowledged his rehabilitation efforts while handing down a sentence.

The man pleaded guilty to two counts of contraventions of domestic violence.

He was sentenced to five months’ jail, suspended for 12 months.

Originally published as North Queensland man sentenced in Townsville Magistrates Court after drenching self in fuel, threatening to light self on fire