Lowood dad Justin Wayne Adams sentenced in Ipswich Court for police car arson

Details of a father’s drunk midnight arson at a police station west of Brisbane have been revealed at his sentence, including chilling footage of him collecting a jerry can minutes before the mighty blaze. PICTURES, VIDEO

A rural police station was thrown into disarray after a drunk dad set three vehicles ablaze for seemingly “no good reason”.

Lowood father-of-three Justin Wayne Adams, 40, pleaded guilty in Ipswich District Court on August 2 to three counts of arson and one count of endangering a particular property by fire.

The court heard Adams had been drinking on the night of November 2 last year when he collected a jerry can from his house an marched over to his local police station.

CCTV footage was played of Adams walking into the car port of the Lowood Police Station at 11.59pm.

He used the accelerant to set a four-wheel drive on fire, just as the seconds ticked over to November 3.

Adams ran away on foot as the vehicle caught fire, and home CCTV showed him arrived back at his house minutes later.

In the half-hour following, the flames spread – destroying the four wheel drive and two neighbouring vehicles.

A crime scene has been declared at the Lowood Police Station after several police cars and part of a carport were damaged by fire overnight. Source – Caitlin Sheiwe, 9 News.

The court heard Adams made a number of phone calls boasting about what he had done almost immediately after returning home.

He was arrested later that month as a result – but initially denied what he had done to police.

Crown prosecutor Clayton Wallis said the fire caused in excess of $286,000 worth of damage – including the destruction of three police cars, cameras, and further damage to the car port annex.

He noted no one was manning the police station at the time, and the flames went without detection for a considerable time as a result.

There were further delays as support fire engines from Brassall, Ipswich, were ultimately required to quench the flames, he said.

The aftermath of a blaze which ripped through police cars at Lowood Police Station. Picture 9News

“Had [the station] been manned, perhaps [the fire] would have been identified earlier and might not have caused the chaos that it did,” Mr Wallis said.

A police statement from Senior Sergeant James Gregory explained how the loss of the vehicles had significantly impacted the station’s occupants and ability to service the local area.

It noted many properties in the area were only accessible via four wheel drive.

Mr Wallis emphasised the importance of deterring others from committing similar offences in future.

“The community has now seen a police station attacked, the community has suffered as a result of the police not having access to their resources,” he said.

Police investigate an arson attack at Lowood Police Station on November 3, 2022. Picture: Liam Beatty.

Defence barrister James Wallace accepted his client’s conduct was “egregiously stupid and foolish … the height of stupidity”.

But he could not provide any reason for his Adam’s actions, beyond the fact he had been intoxicated at the time.

Mr Wallace said the fact Adams hadn’t even thought to delete his home CCTV – which showed him picking up the jerry can, leaving, then returning after the arson – showed the “absolute foolish nature” of his client’s thinking.
He noted in his client’s favour, however, that there had been no risk to any police lives because the station was unmanned.

The aftermath of a fire which ripped through police cars at Lowood. Picture 9News

The court heard Adams had long struggled with alcohol and drug misuse.

His criminal history was littered with low level street, dishonesty, and nuisance offences.

However, he had a good work history, strong family support in court, and had made good use of his time in custody, the court heard.

Despite lack of reasons provided for Adams’ actions, Judge Alexander Horneman-Wren said it was “obviously a deliberate action directed towards police”.

“The fact the station itself was not destroyed is more a matter of luck before anything else,” he noted.

“It goes without saying that the community absolutely denounces your conduct, and the sentence needs to reflect that.”

Adams was sentenced to five years imprisonment, to be suspended after he has served 20 months for a five year operational.

With 252 days of presentence custody declared time-served, parole release was set for July 22, 2024.

Adams was also ordered to serve two years probation, starting from the day of his release.