A Mount Coolum man tried to set three fires in a popular restaurant after he broke in and stole cash

A man who was on bail when he broke into a popular Coast restaurant stole cash before trying to set the building alight.

Morgan Kingsley Evans, 32, was sentenced in Maroochydore District Court for attempted arson and a string of other offences on Thursday. Picture: Aisling Brennan

A Mount Coolum man who tried to set fire to a restaurant will spend part of his sentence in a Gold Coast rehabilitation facility.

Morgan Kingsley Evans, 32, was sentenced in Maroochydore District Court on Thursday for attempted arson, breaking and entering, attempted fraud, attempting to pervert the course of justice and possessing dangerous drugs and tainted property.

Evans had in September 2019 stolen his neighbours electric mountain bike and tried to sell it online for $1400.

The court heard after Evans had been charged, he asked his neighbour to sign a receipt saying he had bought the bike from him or else he would spend eight months in jail.

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Evans then added a date to the receipt after his neighbour had signed, the court heard.

While on bail for these offences, Evans broke into Tandoori Flames restaurant on Birtwill St, Coolum Beach, and stole about $200 cash, soft drinks, and jewellery in March 2020.

Before leaving the building he also tried to set three separate fires throughout the restaurant, which caused an estimated $15,000 in damages.

CCTV footage showed Evans near the restaurant at the time of the offence, and when police later searched his car at his Mount Coolum home, they discovered the stolen items, marijuana and testosterone.

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The court heard since the offending, Evans has been trying to get into a rehabilitation centre to deal with his drug addiction.

Since October 2020, he has been a resident of the Victory House rehabilitation centre on the Gold Coast.

Evans was sentenced to three years and nine months imprisonment and was given a suspended sentence of five years starting from May 20.

Judge Gary Long ordered Evans to do 160 hours of community service, not leave Queensland, abstain from drugs and continue with the 12 month rehabilitation program on the Gold Coast.

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Originally published as A Mount Coolum man tried to set three fires in a popular restaurant after he broke in and stole cash