St Andrews arsonists walk from court with no prison time despite causing $6.5 million damage

TWO men who caused $6.5 million damage when they set fire to a St Andrews Lutheran College building will not spend any time behind bars for the “school prank”.

The damage done at the fire at St Andrews Lutheran Collegeon Anzac Day 2015. Picture Glenn Hampson

TWO men who caused $6.5 million damage when they set fire to a St Andrews Lutheran College building will not spend any time behind bars for the “school prank”.

Harrison Luke Rogers, 20, and Jackson Thomas Plass, 21, yesterday pleaded guilty in the Southport District Court to arson for the blaze which gutted “J Block” at the Tallebudgera private school on Anzac Day 2016.

Rogers also pleaded guilty to a second case of arson five days before, where a Tallebudgera playground was burnt causing $9000 damage.

Crown prosecutor Gary Churchill said the group had gone to the school just after 10.30pm for what they referred to as a “school run” to “mess up lockers”.

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Mr Churchill said while there it is alleged Hamstra set fire to a soccer ball, a book in a locker and a hat which Rogers then kicked into a locker and closed the door.

The group thought the fire had gone out.

“It is not suggested that any of the offenders set out to intentionally or deliberately burn the school building but set fires to contents of school lockers,” Mr Churchill said.

The court was told the group left the school after they heard alarms but did not alert authorities.

Rogers and Plass both graduated from the school in November 2015.

Judge Catherine Muir sentenced both to three years prison, which was wholly suspended for four years.

Rogers was also placed on probation for two years and ordered to complete 200 hours community service within the next two years.

“You conspired to create a cone of silence so the police investigation became far more protracted than it ought to have been,” she said.

The group were not charged until late 2017.

A third man, Paul Hamstra, who is the alleged ringleader, is still before the courts and is yet to enter a plea.

Fire crews were unable to save the building which was gutted, and needed to be bulldozed.

Hamstra will next appear in court on May 15.