Drew Field: Nowra court told man had ‘limited memories’ of firebombing police station

A man who lobbed a Molotov cocktail fashioned from a VB stubbie into the foyer of Nowra police station has learnt his fate.

A man convicted of throwing a molotov cocktail at the Nowra Police Station earlier this year was playing video games prior to the shocking incident, a local court has been told.

Drew Field, who suffers from autism and schizophrenia, has been remanded in custody for more than six months following the frightening firebombing at the station on Plunkett St on January 15.

Two police constables and a member of the public were inside the front foyer when Field ran toward the entrance and lobbed a lit VB stubbie believed to contain petrol inside at about 10.50pm, according to agreed police facts.

“The object hit the station handrail and erupted into a fireball, causing its flammable contents to burn and cause damage to the floors and walls,” the documents state.

“Field then ran from the location with officers giving chase, while another constable extinguished the fire and evacuated the civilian.”

Using CCTV footage and with assistance from the public, Field was apprehended a short time later on Kalander St. A search of his pockets revealed a red cigarette lighter.

Forensic examination of the wreckage further revealed red shirt fragments on the ground and stuffed into the neck of the bottle, which police claim match a red shirt Field was seen wearing in the Nowra CBD area earlier that same day.

Supplied Editorial Nowra Police Station. Picture: Google

Solicitor Hanna Dreher told Nowra Local Court on Tuesday the 29-year-old had “limited memory” of the incident, and had remained in an on-site hospital while in custody.

Prior to the incident, Field consumed “heavy” amounts of alcohol while at home with his father, the facts state, and according to Ms Dreher had been playing video games.

Ms Dreher had previously applied for a Section 14 under the Mental Health Act, which voids charges in instances where an accused person is suffering severe mental illness.

A report undertaken while Field was at the Metropolitan Reception and Remand Centre asserted that there were “reasonable grounds” to believe he was mentally ill under the Act.

The report details Field’s claims to suffer from daily auditory hallucinations.

An incomplete sentencing report tendered to the court further stated that Field would “revert to not remembering the offending”, and was “fixated” on his guilty plea, which he claimed to not be aware of.

Magistrate Lisa Viney told the court the application was thrown out owing to the seriousness of the charges Field faced, and that he was at the time serving a CCO for similar offending.

“These are matters where they are of such seriousness that the only penalty is imprisonment,” Magistrate Viney said.

Magistrate Viney sentenced Field to 18 months imprisonment with a non-parole period of eight months. Due to his prior incarceration, Field will be eligible for parole from September.

Upon receiving his sentence, Field, who appeared via AVL from the Parklea Correctional Facility, told the court he was “sorry” for the incident.

“I’m sorry for everything I’ve done,” he said.

Only days before the incident, Field self-admitted to the emergency department of the Shellharbour Hospital, according to the sentencing report, and is believed to have self-harmed while at the hospital. He was released 48 hours later after being observed to have stabilised.

The report further states Field is believed to suffer from brain damage because of a near-drowning he experienced as a child.