Brady Oates, 22, pleads guilty to arson, burglary of King Island pharmacy in Burnie Supreme Court

A WITNESS will be flown from King Island to Burnie as the Supreme Court tries to determine if a drug addict who torched the island’s only pharmacy knew a woman was living in the flat upstairs.

The aftermath of the pharmacy fire at Currie, King Island, in January 2015. Picture: SUPPLIED

A WITNESS will be flown from King Island to Burnie as the Supreme Court tries to determine if a drug addict who torched the island’s only pharmacy in a bid to cover up a burglary knew a woman was living in the flat upstairs.

Victim Penelope Clemons today told the court she had been forced to flee with just a pair of underpants and a jumper when she woke in the early hours of January 25, 2015, to a ferocious fire.

The Crown alleges Brady Oates, now of Smithton, knew the flat above the building — which housed Currie’s pharmacy, newsagency and a travel company — was occupied when he lit the fire after stealing drugs.

Defence Counsel Greg Richardson said Oates, who was 20 when he committed the crime, did not know he was putting anyone’s life in danger when he lit the blaze.

Oates, now 22, has pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary, one count of stealing and a count of arson.

The court heard Oates, who had been addicted to ice but had been injecting morphine since moving to the isolated Bass Strait island, had broken into the pharmacy, stolen two garbage bags full of prescription medication and returned home.

He later went back to the crime scene with a bottle of petrol and set fire to the dispensary area in a bid to cover his tracks.

Ms Clemons told the court she now suffered from post traumatic stress disorder and found it hard to sleep.

She had rented the flat for three years before she woke at 3.30am to the sound of her smoke alarm.

“I had time to put on a jumper before the power went out,” she said.

“I could hear the fire and explosions and there were flames coming out the window. I lost everything I had worked for and my phone.”

The building was ultimately destroyed.

The witness — who the Crown claims had spoken to Oates about the fact that a woman lived upstairs — is expected to appear on Monday.

Mr Richardson said the crime of arson was not premeditated and no planning or rational thought had gone into Oates’ actions that morning.

“He did not know someone lived upstairs and the Crown needs to prove he did,” Mr Richardson said.

Originally published as Brady Oates, 22, pleads guilty to arson, burglary of King Island pharmacy in Burnie Supreme Court