KnockOut Nutrition: Paul Hornby sentenced for St Marys nutrition store fire
A hoodie-wearing dad, who had to repay his drug dealer, went on a crime spree that included stealing an Audi, setting a shop on fire and making false COVID relief payment claims.
Penrith
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A hoodie-wearing western Sydney dad indebted to his drug dealer went on a crime spree which included stealing two cars, setting fire to a nutrition store and making false Covid relief payment claims.
Paul Hornby, 35, of Whalan, was sentenced for a string of crimes, including break and enter and destroy property by fire, in Penrith District Court on March 10.
The court heard Hornby was a meth user and owed money to his drug dealer so, to work off his debt, he began helping the dealer with his drug supply operation.
Hornby’s crime spree began on November 1, 2020 when he stole an Audi A4 from a unit car park on Kingsway, Dee Why with his dealer and a guy named ‘Rob’.
The Whalan man, wearing a white hoodie, found the keys in the centre console of the car and drove out of the carpark at 4:12am to his Whalan home, on a disqualified licence.
When the Audi was found the next month, the owner paid $3500 in repairs.
On November 4, 2020 Hornby pawned a motorcycle luggage bag and helmet he’d stolen at Cash A Way, Mt Druitt posing as the legal owner.
A week later, Hornby, his dealer and a man named ‘Bear’ drove to KnockOut Nutrition, St Marys to plan a fire and test the security door’s strength.
In the early hours of November 14, 2020 Hornby picked up the men to search the neighbourhood for a car to steal for the arson.
Donning a black hoodie, Hornby entered a unit complex on The Avenue, Mt Druitt with his dealer and found an unlocked Nissan Qashqai which they drove away at 3:39am.
Driving towards Whalan, the dealer suggested they swap the Qashqai with the Audi A4 because “the Nissan was considered more valuable than the Audi A4,” according to court facts.
The three men parked the stolen Nissan in the dealer’s mothers backyard and picked up the Audi from Hornby’s house where they loaded it with two jerry cans of petrol.
The dealer drove toward St Marys with Hornby in the passenger seat and ‘Bear’ following in his own car.
At 4:10am, the dealer reversed the Audi into the roller security door of the arcade, breaking it.
CCTV shows Hornby exiting the front passenger seat, running toward KnockOut Nutrition with two jerry cans, stopping by the shop window and smashing it in with a hammer. He then poured fuel into the shop and set it alight, before driving away.
The court heard the fire caused about $50,000 worth of damage and wiped an estimated $168,00 worth of stock. The owner also estimated losing up to $60,000 in loss income and relocating the business.
The court heard it was unclear why the nutrition store was targeted and during the same period had been making false statements to get Covid crisis payments from Centrelink.
Despite coming from a dysfunctional family, Hornby had a settled family life during his 20s until he was given ice by a friend which led to addiction and saw his relationship breakdown.
The court heard Hornby had been abstinent while on remand, held a job as a sweeper and “feels endless remorse for his actions,” according to his lawyer.
Judge Karen Robinson convicted Hornby of two counts of breaking and entering a dwelling and one count of damaging property by fire and was sentenced to three-and-a-half years jail, with a non parole period of one year and 11 months.
He was also convicted of driving a motor vehicle during a disqualification period and was fined $567 for obtaining a financial advantage by deception.
The court ordered Hornby pay $93,639.06 in compensation to Knockout Nutrition Pty Ltd .
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