Thomas Jack Noonan sentenced for setting father’s car on fire while under the influence of drugs

A son who set his dad’s car alight during a drug-fuelled rage had been told he was not allowed to drive the vehicle.

A son who set his dad’s car alight during a drug-fuelled rage had been told he was not allowed to drive the vehicle.

Thomas Jack Noonan, 22, was living with his father in Toowoomba after relocating from Townsville to kick his methamphetamine addiction.

The District Court heard Noonan asked his father if he could borrow his 2008 Nissan Navara on May 4 last year.

Noonan’s father refused as he believed his son was under the influence of drugs.

The court heard 15 minutes later Noonan stole the car along with his father’s bank card and mobile phone. Noonan’s father went to a nearby family member’s house to use a phone to call police.

MORE CRIME NEWS>>>

• American transport ship fined after garbage illegally dumped off Queensland coast

• Gregory Clubb denied bail after fatal Townsville crash

• Christopher Hughes, 25, to stay behind bars after first court appearance

Crown prosecutor Andrew Lowrie said Noonan was located in the early hours of May 6. “The vehicle was destroyed by fire and tools had melted down in the tray of the utility,” he said.

“The defendant also used the complainant’s card to purchase $41.39 worth of goods at a service station.”

Police arrested Noonan hiding in the front yard of a house near the burnt-out car in College View.

The court heard Noonan was found to be in possession of 20.9g of cannabis and .98g of methamphetamine.

He has spent 270 days in pre-sentence custody. Noonan pleaded guilty to six charges including unlawful use of a motor vehicle and arson.

Defence barrister Harvey Walters said his client had sustained serious injury when he was a child and had been taking medication.

“He has suffered severe back pain from a very early age in relation to the motorcycle accident and as a teenager was prescribed quite strong analgesics,” he said.

“His mother said with his back pain and his prescription with powerful analgesics he started experimenting with different drugs to alleviate his condition.”

Mr Walters said Noonan’s mother was in court supporting her son and with the assistance of his sister was “mending bridges” with his father.

Judge Gregory Lynham told Noonan he believed drugs were “clearly the root cause” of his crimes and to seek help.

Noonan was sentenced to two years and three months’ jail with immediate parole.

He was ordered to pay $10,568.91 in restitution and disqualified from holding a driver’s licence for six months.

Originally published as Thomas Jack Noonan sentenced for setting father’s car on fire while under the influence of drugs