Kyle William West: Volunteer firefighter sentenced in court over igniting vegetation fire, serious assault with drip torch

‘I’ll show you how to light fires’: A volunteer firey has faced the Kingaroy court after he attacked the co-worker trying to stop him from deliberately setting nearly 100m of vegetation alight.

A volunteer firefighter has walked free from the Kingaroy court after deliberately igniting a large vegetation fire before assaulting a colleague with a drip torch when his victim tried to stop him.

Kyle William West was a volunteer rural firefighter at Ballogie Station in October last year when he failed to hand in a signed letter from his parents allowing him to participate in that day’s training and was asked to go home.

Crown prosecutor Samantha O’Rourke told the Kingaroy District Court that the 28-year-old did leave the site but took a drip torch with him, taking off down Chinchilla Wondai Rd and lighting several fires along the way.

“The victim went looking for him and found a fire about 75m in length already underway,” Ms O’Rourke said.

“He told (West) to stop, who told him to ‘f —k off, I’ll show you how to light fires’.”

Kyle William West leaving the Kingaroy courthouse.

West then swung the drip torch at the other man and hit him in the shoulder, causing some pain but no injury, and continued to light fires as he raced further down the stretch of road.

He also kicked a police officer in the leg as he was being taken into custody at the scene.

Defence barrister James Feely said his client was diagnosed with autism and a mild intellectual impairment as a child, and had struggled to adjust to sudden change throughout his life.

“As a child, if changes occurred, such as swimming being cancelled at school, he would leave and try to get into the pool area,” Mr Feely said.

“Kyle requires notice with change and lots of explanation. He didn’t understand that he couldn’t participate that day.”

West pleaded guilty to one count each of serious assault while armed with a dangerous instrument, setting fire to vegetation, and assaulting a police officer.

He was placed on probation for two years and no conviction was recorded.