Four years in jail for King Island pharmacy firebug Brady Oates

A DRUG addict who torched King Island’s only pharmacy in a bid to cover up his earlier burglary has been sentenced to four years in prison.

A DRUG addict who torched King Island’s only pharmacy in a bid to cover up his earlier burglary has been sentenced to four years in prison.

Justice Michael Brett told Brady Oates during sentencing his conduct on January 25, 2015, had been self-centred and reckless and could have ended in the loss of life.

“Your need for morphine was behind the impetus decision to break into the chemist and then burn it down. There is no doubt you should have foreseen the consequences of your actions,’ Justice Brett said.

Oates, 22, had earlier 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 Currie pharmacy, stolen two garbage bags full of prescription medication and returned home.

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

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.

Oates moved to King Island after running into trouble with ice while he was working in Western Australia. He was kidnapped and had his life threatened because of drug debts, the court heard.

Penelope Clemons, who lived above the King Island Pharmacy, was forced to flee with just a pair of underpants and a jumper when she woke to the ferocious fire Oates had lit.

He denied knowing anyone lived upstairs.

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Justice Brett said the fire had a significant impact on a number of people including Ms Clemons, who now suffered from post traumatic stress disorder.

“There was the real potential for her to be caught in the fire,’ Justice Brett told Oates.

“It is clear you were only concerned about yourself and your earlier burglary being discovered.”

The total loss to the pharmacy, the newsagent and the travel business housed in the building was $1.3 million.

Oates will be eligible for parole when he has served half of his sentence.

Originally published as Four years in jail for King Island pharmacy firebug Brady Oates