Numurkah’s Trent Higgins allegedly set fire to car in Shepparton

A Numurkah man allegedly set fire to a car in Shepparton after dousing it with petrol from a fire extinguisher on a total fire ban day.

A Numurkah man has been accused of allegedly lighting a car on fire after dousing it in petrol he stored in a fire extinguisher.

A Numurkah man allegedly set fire to a car in Shepparton after dousing it with petrol from a fire extinguisher on a total fire ban day.

Trent Higgins, 28, was charged with destroying a vehicle by allegedly committing arson and causing a fire during a total fire ban.

He did not appear in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday but was represented by a lawyer who requested the matters be adjourned and said Mr Higgins did not commit the alleged offence.

On February 13, 2024, Mr Higgins and a co-accused allegedly attended a Shepparton address and from the inside of a vehicle doused a parked car in petrol and lit it on fire.

The petrol was in a fire extinguisher.

The court heard Mr Higgins suffered burns to his legs during the alleged incident and presented to Numurkah Hospital before being referred to Shepparton.

Trent Higgins will appear in court in August after allegedly lighting a car on fire on a total fire ban day.

He allegedly told police he was burnt after lighting a fire in his backyard and was taken to hospital by his sister.

However, the court was told when spoken to by police, Mr Higgins’ sister said she did not take him to hospital.

The court also heard police had viewed text messages from what they alleged was Mr Higgins’ phone, including “I can’t go back to jail man”.

The fire extinguisher is yet to be fingerprinted, but is expected to be by the next court date.

Magistrate Amina Bhai said the prosecution had a “relatively strong” case.

Mr Higgins is also facing an unlicensed driving and a speeding charge.

He will appear in court on August 6.