Ex-Rosebud druggie chef Curtis Kenyon pleads guilty to Flinders Mornington Peninsula arson: court
A former pro skater thought he was being hunted by video game “monsters” when he ignited a wild Mornington Peninsula inferno.
South East
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A former drug-addled Mornington Peninsula chef claimed he ignited a raging inferno with petrol and flares because he was being hunted by video game monsters.
Curtis Kenyon, 30, was sentenced in the County Court on Monday to time served – 194 days – after pleading guilty to arson and discharging a firearm.
Kenyon drove his beaten up old Ford Falcon wagon containing a jerry can of petrol to a Flinders property in the early hours of November 2, 2021.
The court heard Kenyon smashed up the property, emptied two large water tanks and doused a boat with petrol.
The semirural estate’s 91-year-old female owner was not present but a caretaker, her daughter and another person were sleeping in a house on the property at the time.
Kenyon also cut gas lines connected to hot water systems and doused the boat with hydrolic petrol before using flares found inside the boat to ignite a blaze
The caretaker recalled she felt “terrified for her and her daughter’s safety” and “feared for their lives”.
Kenyon, of Tootgarook, attempted to flee but his exit was blocked by CFA units which had arrived to battle the blaze.
After causing more than $100,000 in damage, Kenon escaped by tearing away from police at 150km/h down Boneo Rd.
The court heard Kenyon evaded police “stop sticks” at Rosebud before dumping his Falcon at Tootgarook and fleeing on foot.
Kenyon, who had been under the influence of drugs and alcohol, contacted his then ex-girlfriend who picked him up from Capel Sound the next day.
He slept it off before waking thinking his entire arson escapade had been a “dream”.
Investigators linked Kenyon to the arson through DNA evidence found on an empty Wild Turkey can and Corona stubbies found at the scene.
Kenyon later claimed he was “watching himself” being “hunted … in a video game (by monsters)” and “recalled hearing God” while he committed the firey destruction.
Kenyon also said he “felt like a puppet on the end of a stick” and in the “passenger seat of (his) own body”.
Kenyon wasn’t arrested until after he was back on the police radar for firing off a sawn-off shotgun into a car at Tootgarook in the early hours of November 13.
The court heard Kenyon rocked up to a Tootgarook home with multiple firearms including a loaded single-barrel sawn-off shotgun.
A witness said Kenyon was holding a “bulky firearm”, wearing a “green army helmet” and told him to “not ask any questions”.
Kenyon blasted the car then fled the scene but was captured by heavily armed specialist police after fleeing a cab on foot later that morning.
Investigators discovered a loaded imitation handgun in Kenyon’s pants.
The still loaded shotgun and another imitation firearm was seized from the taxi.
Police also discovered a text message from a person called ‘Wombat’ which asked Kenyon if he had been “letting off rounds last night uh huh”.
“Haha, yeah,” Kenyon responded.
The court heard Kenyon grew up in Blairgowrie before becoming a sponsored skateboarder and graduating VCE at Padau College.
He was introduced to drugs through his skateboarding foray and lived the life of a peninsula party boy who raved at local clubs and beach parties.
Kenyon also completed a cooking apprenticeship and worked as a chef before drug use derailed his culinary career.
The court heard Kenyon was handed a CCO for trafficking MDMA at clubs and bars around the peninsula more than 10 years ago.
Judge Kellie Blair said Kenyon “left a trail of disaster”.
“Innocent people have suffered significantly as a result …,” Judge Blair said.
“This is a serious example of arson … to evade police you drove severely drug affected at speeds at over 100km/h …
“The latter incident involving your possession and use of the gun was also very serious … you fired the gun at a vehicle occupied by two people in a suburban street …
“The sawn-off shotgun (and another gun) were loaded … there can be no legitimate reason for you to be armed in this way.”
However, Judge Blair also commended Kenyon for his rigorous rehabilitation efforts.
Kenyon, who works as an arborist, spent almost two years at a rehab facility program and currently mentors other recovering drug users.
Kenyon, who is back with his partner and their three children, was also handed a two-year community correction order.
