Paul Trevor Mumford set former partner’s jet ski on fire while parked at her Coombabah home

A 50-year-old man torched his ex-partner’s jet ski while it was parked in her car port. Find out why.

A 50-year-old man was so outraged his former partner had started a new relationship he set fire to her jet ski while it was parked outside her Gold Coast home.

And when Paul Trevor Mumford’s first attempt at lighting the vessel on fire was unsuccessful he returned a second time to finish the job.

Mumford pleaded guilty in the Southport District Court on Monday to arson and attempted arson.

Judge Rowan Jackson sentenced the 50-year-old to three years prison with immediate release on parole.

Mumford has been in custody since May 19 last year.

After his sentence was handed down, Mumford told Judge Jackson: “I won’t let you down”.

Prosecutor Emma Bracken told the court Mumford went to his former partner’s Coombabah home about 8pm on May 10 last year and threw an ignited object over the gate and at the jet ski.

The object landed on cement near the carport and went out in about two minutes.

Ms Bracken said Mumford returned about an hour later this time with an accelerant.

She said he poured the fluid over the jet ski, parked on a trailer in the carport, before setting it on fire and fleeing.

“The offending was sparked over anger finding out ex-wife was in a new relationship,” Ms Bracken said.

Mumford’s former partner was not at home at the time but friends were house-sitting while she was away.

The court was told they were alerted when smoke came in the house and the fire alarms went off.

Ms Bracken said Mumford’s partner made two insurance claims – about $18,000 for damage to the jet ski and about $22,000 for damage to the car port – and was out of pocket about $850 for the excess she had to pay.

She said police spoke to Mumford three times about the fire and he denied it each time before being arrested on May 19 last year.

Defence barrister Nick McGhee told the court the offending occurred at a difficult time in Mumford’s life.

He said Mumford had long struggled with depression.

Mr McGhee said Mumford had completed a number of courses while in prison and planned to return to South Australia, where he grew up, when released.

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