Firebombers behind bars - one man sentenced to six years

THREE men have been jailed for throwing Molotov cocktails at a Maryborough home – with one man returning later and burning the house down.

The house in Churchill St ablaze in February. Picture: Contributed

THREE men have been jailed for throwing Molotov cocktails at a Maryborough home - with one man returning later and burning the house down.

A fourth man, who drove the men to the scene of the crimes, was given a suspended sentence and probation.

Xaen Lock, 24, William George Grimes, 24, Michael James Taylor, 22, and Luke Francis Whalley, 24, all pleaded guilty.

The court was told four men went to the Maryborough residence on February 25.

Grimes owed a 17-year-old man at the home money and the man had smashed the windows of his car because Grimes had not paid him back.

Later, the two men had agreed to sort out the money and the car and the matter was resolved.

However, Grimes told the other three men about the incident and they began making Molotov cocktails to throw at the home.

Whalley drove the men to the home but did not take part in the attack.

Two people were at the home at the time - the man Grimes owed money and a 17-year-old youth who was living there.

When the men decided to return later in the evening, with Whalley again driving them to the residence, the man had left - but the defendants terrorised the youth, with Grimes holding a flick knife to his throat.

The men also threatened him and told him not to call police.

Later, Taylor returned by himself for a third time.

The teenager had left the home and Taylor set fire to two mattresses, destroying the empty residence and damaging a neighbour's home.

Grimes was sentenced to three years in prison, with a parole release date of April 22, 2014.

Taylor was sentenced to six years in prison with no parole release date specified.

Lock was sentenced to three years in jail with a parole release date of August 8, 2014.

Whalley was given a two-year suspended sentence for his part in the crimes, along with two years probation.