Patrick Paul Habermann faces Bundaberg court
A driver, who set his own car on fire on an innocent person’s property, nearly burning down their house, has been sentenced.
Police & Courts
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A court has heard about the terrifying moment a man drove into an innocent person’s yard and set fire to his own car, just metres from the house.
Patrick Paul Habermann pleaded guilty in the Bundaberg Magistrates Court to one court of trespass and one count of leaving a fire unattended.
The court heard that on December 21 2021, Habermann parked his Chrysler Voyager outside a house on Watson Street, Bundaberg.
He walked up and down the street before unhinging the gate of the property, returning to his car and driving it into the yard.
Habermann parked the car just three metres away from the side of the house, set fire to his vehicle for an “unknown reason” and then ran down the street.
The court heard emergency services extinguished the fire, but the car was completely destroyed and the house sustained melted pipes and beams.
Police found Habermann the next day at a local holiday park after witnesses identified him by his face and neck tattoos.
He was taken to Bundaberg Hospital for treatment.
Police Prosecutor Sergeant Dean Burgess said Habermann was on parole when he was arrested on December 28 and declined to be interviewed.
“He was quite affected on the arrest on the 28th of December by drugs,” he said.
“It’s a very serious offence your honour, the fact that he’s driven into somebody's house, an innocent victim’s house, and set fire to his own car.
“This penalty does attract detention of up to six months.”
Acting Magistrate Patrick Murphy asked Habermann about his motive for the fire, saying the offence was “fairly serious”.
“So you have no explanation for that?,” he asked.
Representing himself, Habermann told the Magistrate he wasn’t in the right frame of mind at the time and was on a mental health care plan.
Habermann was sentenced to one month in jail, fully suspended for six months and a conviction was recorded.
For trespassing, he was convicted but not further punished.
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