Jayden Thomas Robert Lamb and Dwayne Paul Lamb sentenced in Dalby District Court for lighting fires around Tara

A father and son who lit a spate of fires on the Western Downs that caused significant damage have been sentenced in Dalby District Court. FULL STORY HERE.

Two men have been sentenced in Dalby District Court for arson in Tara.

The Western Downs father and son duo who lit fires around Tara in January 2023 that caused more than $200,000 in damage sat side-by-side as they were sentenced in Dalby District Court on Thursday.

Dressed in prison greens Dwayne Paul Lamb, 48, and Jayden Thomas Robert Lamb, 24, pleaded guilty to seven counts of setting fire to vegetation and one count of arson.

Both have been held in custody since their arrest on August 18, 2023.

Jayden was also sentenced on prior domestic violence and drug related offending.

Crown prosecutor Lauren Knobel told the court the pair had been drinking at a local pub prior to lighting the fires.

Of the dwellings destroyed, none were occupied and were located on land owned by an Australian gas mining company.

The court was told the pair’s offending saw nearby residents evacuated and caused property damage of around $200,000.

It’s estimated more than 4600ha of land was destroyed, as well as multiple dwellings, gas heads, and a loss of feed and fencing to a nearby grazier.

The court was told Jayden was under electronic monitoring at the time of committing the fire related offending, leading police to identify his presence at the scene.

Representing Jayden, barrister Frank Martin told the court his client had taken steps towards rehabilitation, completing construction and educational courses while in custody.

“He’s trying to do things (in custody) as much as he can to rehabilitate himself,” Mr Martin said.

Jayden Thomas Robert Lamb was sentenced along with his father Dwayne Paul Lamb in Dalby District Court on February 29, 2024.

The court was told this was Jayden’s first time in custody.

Barrister Nathan Edridge appeared for Dwayne, who told the court of his client’s traumatic childhood and later brain injury was a result of a workplace incident during his 20s.

Mr Edridge also told the court his client had experienced serious health issues while in custody.

Judge Dennis Lynch KC described the fire bug pair’s offending as “mindless destruction” and a term of imprisonment would be imposed.

In addition to the fire related offences, Jayden pleaded guilty to domestic violence related offences including one count of strangulation, one count of assault occasioning bodily harm and contravention of a domestic violence order.

Judge Lynch KC said this offending was quite serious and warranted an actual term of imprisonment.

As for the drug related offending, Jayden pleaded guilty to two counts of supplying a dangerous drug, namely cannabis.

Jayden was sentenced to five years of imprisonment for the fire related offending, to serve a period of 18 months, with a parole eligibility date as of February 17, 2025.

For the offences of supplying a dangerous drug and contravention of a DVO he was convicted and not further punished.

For the offence of assault occasioning bodily harm in a domestic setting, he was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment and for strangulation in a domestic setting, he was sentenced to two years of imprisonment, with all terms to be served concurrently.

Dwayne was sentenced to three-and-a-half-years imprisonment, to serve 12-months and is subject to a four-year good behaviour order after serving this time.

Convictions were recorded for both men.

Originally published as Jayden Thomas Robert Lamb and Dwayne Paul Lamb sentenced in Dalby District Court for lighting fires around Tara