Joshua Paul Townsend pleaded guilty to unlawful use of a motor vehicle and arson at the Toowoomba District Court

A Toowoomba man who torched a stolen car had almost committed the perfect crime, until he was caught red-handed by his friend’s own doing. See exactly how he ousted himself to police here.

A 23-year-old man almost committed the perfect crime, until his co-accused was arrested on an unrelated matter, and the group’s video footage ousted him to police.

Joshua Paul Townsend pleaded guilty “at the 11th hour” to one count of unlawful use of a motor vehicle and one count of arson on the morning his trial was meant to begin at the Toowoomba District Court on Monday.

Joshua Paul Townsend, 23, fronted Toowoomba Districts Court where he was sentenced for unlawful use of a vehicle and arson.

Crown prosecutor Emily Coley told the court on the night of October 23, 2020, a car was stolen from a Toowoomba property and later driven by three offenders; Townsend, Harrison Jon Gardner and Blair Edwin Taylor, to a Goombungee paddock and set alight, completely destroying the vehicle.

Townsend’s involvement was not discovered until Gardner, 21, was arrested on an unrelated matter and his phone seized, which uncovered evidence of Townsend at the scene.

Video footage on Gardner’s phone showed Townsend driving the stolen vehicle, and at times reaching speeds of more than 140km/hr.

Townsend, who at the time was on a suspended licence and under probation, was arrested for his involvement on March 26, 2021 and confessed to driving the vehicle, however denied stealing or burning the car.

Ms Coley told the court it was the prosecution’s submission that Townsend was to be sentenced as a principal in each offence.

Gardner and Taylor, 20, were previously convicted in the Toowoomba District Court, where it was found they were “vulnerable to the influence of others” and was lured into the offence.

They were each given two years probation with no convictions recorded.

Townsend’s barrister Nathan Edridge said his client had a “deprived background” and in the past had undergone therapy for childhood abuse.

Townsend had been diagnosed with ADHD, depression, anxiety, stress and drug dependence, and was no longer seeing a psychologist, but had a prescription for cannabis.

Mr Edridge recommended a probationary period would be more beneficial for his client during his rehabilitation from methamphetamines, and a sentence of imprisonment “would compromise his rehabilitation”.

According to Mr Edridge, Townsend claimed the use of methamphetamine in the past was “the drug that caused the trouble”, and was working hard to break his drug dependency.

“People weren’t really put in danger by this particular arson offence … it wasn’t in a residential setting,” he said.

Toowoomba Courthouse in Hume St

Judge Michael Williamson KC told Townsend while he entered a late plea “at the 11th hour”, it was a plea none the less and would be taken into consideration.

On the count of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, Townsend was sentenced to three months imprisonment.

He was also charged with two years imprisonment to be served concurrently for the charge of arson, with immediate parole given.

The Judge ordered Townsend to pay restitution of $5500, which was referred to SPER.

“A really good way to contribute to the community in a positive way is by working hard … apply yourself and working hard,” Judge Williamson said.

“If you do not, if you do not turn your cheek against these things, turn your back on them, you know what will happen?

“That will not be the last time you are standing there, and it will not be the last time you have a judge talking to you like this.

“You are a young man, you’ve got time to turn things around. The longer you take to turn this around, the leniency drives up, Mr Townsend. Do you understand?”

Townsend was recently embroiled in an infamous viral Instagram video which showed himself and another former Toowoomba man in a vulgar shouting match with ranked MMA fighter Viktor Lyall.

Lyall claims after attempting to defuse the situation by backing away from the pair, the two men continued to advance which saw Lyall launch a high kick to Townsend’s friend’s head, knocking him to the ground.

The video, which gained more than 400,000 views, was filmed in April and found its way so social media in July.