Tweed Heads man Brent Slockee jailed after torching man’s unit and chasing him with crowbar and beer bottle

A former Indigenous cultural dancer who torched a man’s government housing unit then chased him with a crowbar will now mull over his actions behind bars.

Lismore Courthouse. Photo Cathy Adams / The Northern Star

A former Indigenous cultural dancer has been sentenced to four years behind bars after torching a man’s public housing unit and chasing him down with a crowbar and a beer bottle.

Brent Slockee, 47, appeared in Lismore District Court on Wednesday via audiovisual link before Judge Craig Everson. He pleaded guilty to arson and using unlawful violence against a man at Tweed Heads South on September 23, 2023.

The court heard Slockee destroyed the unit on Altair St, Tweed Heads South, intending to cause bodily harm to the victim.

Facts presented to the court revealed Slockee was associated with a woman residing in another unit in the complex. The previous day, an argument occurred between Slockee, armed with a white stick, and the victim.

The victim woke the following morning to the sound of breaking glass. A neighbour witnessed Slockee near the man’s veranda before a small fire erupted. The victim came out after smelling petrol and smoke, finding Slockee outside armed with a crowbar and a beer bottle.

Slockee waited outside the man’s apartment before setting fire to it, armed with a crowbar and beer bottle.

Slockee then ignited the bedroom using petrol via a sliding door and set fire to other access points, effectively trapping the victim inside. He also placed an object under the front door to impede the man’s escape.

After the victim forced his way out, Slockee pursued him with the crowbar towards the South Sports Club. The victim returned to find his unit engulfed in flames and he sustained burns to his arm, hand, and face while attempting to extinguish the blaze.

The unit was completely destroyed, with repair costs estimated to exceed $90,000.

In an impact statement, the victim detailed the loss of irreplaceable possessions, ongoing pain, anxiety, and fear. He now suffers from sleep disturbances, flashbacks, and a lack of trust.

Slockee’s father, Victor, described his son as a “pleasant child” who excelled at school and became a “valuable asset” in the Aboriginal community, sharing his cultural knowledge through music and dance.

Slockee’s sister attributed his actions to drug use, stating that he was a “functioning member” of the Aboriginal community until he became addicted to ice.

Judge Everson acknowledged the seriousness of arson, the extent of the damage, and the risk to public safety. He noted the “deleterious psychological impact” on the victim.

Slockee was sentenced to four years imprisonment with a non-parole period of two years and six months.

Originally published as Tweed Heads man Brent Slockee jailed after torching man’s unit and chasing him with crowbar and beer bottle