Peter Robert Winkcup pleads guilty to attempted arson

A man used petrol and bug spray as accelerants when he lit five separate fires trying to burn down his rental unit causing $34k in damage. Find out the bizarre reason behind his crime.

A West Mackay man, who tried to burn down his rental unit, claimed bikies were living in his ceiling and told him he had 10 minutes to leave the property.

Peter Robert Winkcup had lit five separate fires throughout the Bridge Rd home on November 28, 2020 – luckily no one was hurt, but he caused more than $34,000 damage.

Peter Robert Winkcup tried to burn down the Department of Housing unit he rented claiming there were bikies living in the roof.

A neighbour heard a glass door smashing and spotted smoke and fire at the unit, calling emergency services.

Mackay District Court heard the neighbour ran towards the unit and spotted Winkcup locking the front door and leaving with two bags and a motorbike helmet.

Winkcup, then 52, said he knew his home was on fire and walked off.

Fire crews responded at 7.22pm and had to force entry to the home to put out the five fires.

Inside the ceiling police found a melted jerry can, a methylated spirits bottle containing petrol and a number of Mortein big spray canisters.

The court heard several more empty canisters were found in the bed, the contents used as an accelerant.

There were also holes in the wall.

Fire investigators and police on scene at the Bridge Rd unit block where a property was severely damaged in a blaze overnight. The unit is located at the back of the complex.

The damage bill totalled $34,037.24 and included charring in the bathroom vanity and burn marks and smoke stains to some of the ceiling, walls, insulation and wiring in the roof.

Winkcup called police about 11.30pm that same day and was interviewed – it was noted he smelled heavily of petrol – and he told officers “some bikies” had been living in his roof and they had told him he had 10 minutes to grab some stuff and “get the f--k out”.

The court heard he showed the police photos claiming he could see the bikies, but there was nothing there.

Winkcup claimed those bikies must have started the fire, but DNA linked him to the attempted arson.

The court heard this was the second time Winkcup had set fire to a rental property.

In the late 2000s in Western Australia Winkcup bought five litres of petrol and poured it throughout a Western Australia home igniting it with a lighter following a dispute with his landlord over unpaid rent and water restrictions.

The 54 year old has severe mental health issues and substance abuse issues.

As a result Winkcup suffered burns to his face, hands and feet.

The court heard he had been on a three-month suspended jail term when he set fire to the West Mackay Department of Housing unit he had been renting since 2017.

Scott McLennan, instructed by Fisher Dore Lawyers, said his client, who was a father of two, had previously been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and afterwards his mental health had declined.

The court heard Winkcup’s principal diagnosis was unspecified schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorder with a differential diagnosis of drug induced psychosis.

Mr McLennan said there had been an issue of bikies raised in a medical report back in 2016.

He said at the time his client spoke to police and when he had a mental health assessment he believed there were bikies living in his roof.

Winkcup lit five separate fires causing $34,000 in damage.

“He now accepts there were no bikies living in his roof, that it was a delusion based on his mental illness,” Mr McLennan said.

“He’s accepted that the evidence overwhelmingly establishes that it was he who lit the fire.”

The case was initially set down for trial but ultimately Winkcup, 54, pleaded guilty to attempted arson. He has been remanded in custody for 562 days.

“You did put other occupants of that premises to some risk if that fire spread,” Judge Brad Farr said, accepting Winkcup had mental health and longstanding substance abuse issues.

“It was premeditated to some degree given the nature of what you used as an accelerant and the way you lit these fires and the fact there was five separate fires.”

Winkcup was jailed for three years with immediate parole release because of time already served in custody on remand.

A conviction was recorded.

Originally published as Peter Robert Winkcup pleads guilty to attempted arson