Magistrate scolds Sayeed Moosawi who lit an open BBQ pit in Fingal Bay during total fire ban
A teenager has been sentenced after he lit up a barbecue during a holiday at Port Stephens, on a day when there was a total fire ban due to catastrophic conditions.
Newcastle
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A Hunter Magistrate has given a Sydney teenager a serve for his reckless actions after he lit up a barbecue, on a day of catastrophic fire conditions.
Sayeed Mujtaba Moosawi, 18, was at a holiday house enjoying a break with friends at Port Stephens’ Fingal Bay on November 12 last year, and despite a total fire ban that day, he stoked up an open flame BBQ pit in the backyard of the property.
“Do you have that little regard,” Magistrate Brett Shields said.
“How did you not know about the bushfires?
“On the day you did this, there was catastrophic fire risk and the weeks before, houses were being burnt down.
“People have been killed, people have been incinerated and on that day you choose to light an open fire.”
At Raymond Terrace Local Court on Monday, Moosawi pleaded guilty to failing to comply with a total fire ban order.
His legal aid representative said her client didn’t know about the fire ban as he didn’t watch the news and wasn’t on social media.
She said Moosawi wanted to apologise to both the community and police for his actions.
Police facts stated they were called to the home on Jellicoe Parade at around 4.45pm that afternoon due to “some sort of fire going on in the backyard with lots of smoke”.
When police and the Rural Fire Service arrived, there was an open coal BBQ pit with a number of chairs around it and a large can of hairspray as well as deodorant beside it.
“We are having a BBQ, we saw the smoke and then put it out” Moosawi told police.
Asked if he was aware of total fire ban, he replied “no”, and when asked if he could smell or see smoke in the air he said “I thought it was fog”.
On that day, the weather was forecast for a 37 degree scorcher with high winds. The property also backed onto Tomaree National Park which has a large bushland area.
Magistrate Shields told Moosawi, sorry didn’t cut it.
“If a fire takes hold on a day like that, it is inevitable there is going to be property damage and worse,” he said.
“This carries 12 months in prison. Many people out there have lost property, homes and family members who would like to see you go to jail.”
But the 18-year-old was spared and given a 12 month good behaviour bond.