Kingston arson: Joshua Vella arrested, charged with offence
A 21-year-old aspiring Logan rapper has been charged with arson after allegedly torching his own unit on Sunday, leaving an adjoining family temporarily homeless.
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An aspiring Logan rapper has been arrested and charged with arson over the weekend after he allegedly torched his Department of Housing unit by dousing it in petrol and ignition it with a match.
Kingston man Joshua John Vella, 21, was arrested yesterday after the alleged incident.
Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Monday heard that emergency services were called to a unit fire at 134 Mayes Ave Kingston about 5.40pm on Sunday.
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Unit nine was “fully engulfed” when they arrived and suffered “major damage” as a result, police prosecuting Acting Snr Sgt Karine Evans told the court.
A witness to the alleged arson, a 15-year-old boy, is said to have witnessed smoke billowing from unit nine and ran to the window to see if anyone was inside.
“The witness observed the defendant behind the front window holding a red Jerry can and a box of matches,” A/Snr Sgt Evans told the court.
“He said to the defendant, ‘I’m here, don’t hurt yourself.’ The defendant responded, ‘No-one likes me’, and shut the curtains,” she said.
A/Snr Sgt Evans told the court the defendant was allegedly discovered “loitering” around the block about 7.30pm when he was arrested by police.
He was wearing the same clothes seen in CCTV footage taken from just after the alleged arson at a location nearby the unit block, the court heard.
The court heard Mr Vella was on probation for drug offences at the time of the alleged arson, and also has an outstanding unlawful wounding charge.
Defence lawyer Ashley Ulyatt told the court her client “denies the allegations entirely” and further reports no mental health issues consistent with the nature of the charge.
“Apart from the witness, there is no direct evidence linking my client to the Jerry can,” she said.
Mr Vella, an aspiring rapper who styles himself as the “CEO of AusRapInc and Scat Hats” on social media, was granted bail to live with his grandparents at Tallai, on the Gold Coast.
His conditions include that he submit to a curfew, drug testing, and report to police twice a week.
His charge will be mentioned in Beenleigh again on January 20.