Steven Anthony Anderson started fires at Stockland Rockhampton, Harvey Norman

A qualified butcher who worked at Woolworths for eight years went on a fire lighting spree around the town’s busiest shopping areas after a “two to three day” drug bender.

Stockland Rockhampton Shopping Centre. Picture: Aden Stokes

A qualified butcher who worked at Woolworths for eight years went on a fire lighting spree after a two to three day drug bender.

Steven Anthony Anderson, 33, was on a probation order at the time he lit several fires at three different shopping complexes in Rockhampton on July 8, 2023, the District Court in Rockhampton heard this week.

Crown prosecutor Bianca Volling said Anderson’s fires caused $7788 damage as two industrial bins needed to be replaced after he lit vegetation fires at Harvey Norman, set fire to rubbish in an industrial bin situated next to a building at Stockland as well as a piece of cardboard in another industrial bin at Northside Plaza.

All of the fires were lit between 5.55am and 8.28am and captured on CCTV.

The court heard Queensland Fire and Emergency Services attended the Harvey Norman complex to extinguish several plants Anderson had set on fire and security moved the Stockland bin to stop it spreading to the building.

Northside Plaza in Rockhampton. Picture: Google Maps

Defence barrister Sheridan Shaw said Anderson had been on a two to three day methamphetamines bender and was homeless at the time.

She said his mother had died in the lead up to the offending, and he separated from his long term partner.

Ms Shaw said Anderson had worked at a meatworks for 4.5 years and Woolworths for eight years after leaving school in Year 10.

She said he was a qualified butcher and had worked sporadically in the past four to five years in other areas such as concreting and landscaping.

Ms Shaw said this was the first time Anderson had used meth “in a serious way”.

Anderson pleaded guilty on March 19 to one count each of setting fire to vegetation, endangering property by fire and wilful damage.

He was sentenced to two years prison with immediate release on parole.

Originally published as Steven Anthony Anderson started fires at Stockland Rockhampton, Harvey Norman