William Steedman: NT firebug guilty of 11 offences including setting two stolen cars alight

A Top End man stole cars from former employers and set them alight, poured petrol on a service station counter before igniting the fuel during an armed robbery, and rammed a police unit in a bid to evade capture, a court has heard.

Top End firebug William Raymond Steedman (also known as William Cundy). Picture: Facebook

A Top End man stole two cars from former employers, set them both alight, poured petrol on a service station counter and lit it up during a robbery, and rammed a police unit in a desperate bid to evade capture, a court has heard.

William Raymond Steedman (a.k.a. William Cundy) appeared in the Supreme Court at Darwin on Thursday where he pleaded guilty to 11 charges.

They included counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, dangerous driving, recklessly endangering serious harm, armed robbery, theft, and causing fires.

The crime spree occurred last year on April 25–26, the court heard.

On the afternoon of April 25, Steedman filled up a white Toyota HiLux, which had been stolen from his former employer Rowlands Quarries at Cossack four days prior, with $107.75 worth of diesel at United Petroleum, Katherine South.

Inside, he asked the console operator for a lighter, threw a shopping bag on the counter demanding it be filled with “cigarettes, money, everything,” then, when the demand was not immediately carried out, produced a plastic soft drink bottle full of petrol.

After pouring the fuel on the counter, Steedman lit it, the court heard.

It was only from the quick actions of the console operator, who beat back the fire with an extinguisher, more damage was not caused, with the fire claiming only the console, an EFTPOS machine and chocolates.

He did not pay for the gas.

In the early hours of the following morning, April 26, Steedman again terrorised a former employer, Northern Machinery Sales at Elsey.

Northern Machinery Sales at Elsey, on the outskirts of Katherine. Picture: Facebook

He parked the stolen HiLux, set it alight, then gained entry to the premises by smashing a window, cutting his hand badly in the process, the court was told.

Using keys from inside the office, Steedman entered a LandCruiser, bled all over the interior, changed his mind and accessed a different LandCruiser, which he drove off with, nicking a first aid kit from the business for good measure.

Little did Steedman know, his old boss, Michael Craven, had the vehicles fitted with GPS trackers, and he was able to report its location in real-time to police, who successfully deployed tyre deflation devices at the intersection of Stuart Hwy and Cox Peninsula Rd.

Despite three burst tyres, Steedman forged ahead on the wrong side of the highway with police in hot pursuit.

After turning off on Elizabeth Valley Rd, Steedman overshot a corner, at which time a police vehicle moved in to attempt a boxing manoeuvre, but the defendant rammed the officers and made it as far as Beaumont Rd, Humpty Doo when he crashed into bushland.

Before fleeing the stolen LandCruiser he set a fire on the passenger seat that consumed the $77,000 vehicle, and also lit a vegetation fire to boost his escape, although a police dog ensured the plan was unsuccessful.

The court heard Steedman had a criminal history in the NT, Western Australia, and Queensland.

Steedman’s defence lawyer told the court he had only received his client’s psychiatric report on Tuesday and needed time to compile his submissions.

Justice Judith Kelly adjourned further submissions and sentence to February 19 next year.

Steedman remains remanded in custody.