Timothy Gordon Martin in Bowen Court for throwing explosive

A Qld mechanic had already been subjected to calls to his work making depraved claims when one comment led to a dangerous drunken decision.

Timothy Gordon Martin faced Bowen Magistrates Court on 10 June charged with throwing a petrol bomb.

A qualified mechanic made the impulsive decision to throw a petrol bomb into another person’s yard then later confessed his crime to police.

Before the firebomb Timothy Gordon Martin was punched directly in his injured back, had people call his workplace to sully his name and was called a pedophile, Bowen Magistrates Court heard.

When he threw the explosive into the Bowen yard on April 14, at around 10.30pm, he was drinking and taking painkillers.

CCTV captured a person lobbing the explosive in the backyard, while the residents did not witness it.

Martin was one of the people who residents told police could have potentially been responsible.

But by 8am the following morning Martin handed himself in to police, and police prosecutor Senior Constable Sarah Rowe said he showed remorse.

The court heard the 34-year-old told police there had been ongoing issues with the residents including them calling his workplace to degenerate him and punching him in the back.

He told police he had been drinking heavily that night and taking pain killers when he was told by his wife that a friend of hers had said they were calling Martin a pedophile.

The court heard this made Martin “furious” and he made a bad decision.

His lawyer, Nick Douglas from Legal Aid Queensland said this was not an excuse but an “explanation” for his behaviour.

He said Martin had suffered a back injury which left the father of three in significant pain and caused him to miss out on parts of his children’s lives.

Magistrate Anna Smith said throwing a petrol bomb was foolish but noted the impact was on the lower end despite having the potential to cause damage to the property.

“To go around to someone’s place and throw a petrol bomb, even if it is just in the yard, is serious offending, people go to jail for it,” she said, however she noted that “but for your admission you may never have been charged”.

She said while Martin’s wife spoke highly of him and said he was the glue of the family; he was not being a very good role model to his children.

She accepted the behaviour was out of character and he had no like history.

Martin pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced to 15 months' probation.

No conviction was recorded.

Originally published as Timothy Gordon Martin in Bowen Court for throwing explosive