Nundle State Forest fire starter jailed after facing children’s court



A man was trying to destroy evidence of a fuel theft when he lit a fire that ravaged more than 1,000 hectares of land in the Tamworth region, a court has heard. 

A NSW children’s court today heard he and an accomplice stole 200 litres of diesel fuel from a logging excavator near Hanging Rock in the late hours of October 26, 2019. 

The man, whose identity cannot be published because he was 17 at the time, brought his own containers to the site which were leaking fuel and carried the canisters onto the back of his getaway vehicle. 

Some fuel left behind was then set alight with a cigarette lighter before the pair left the scene to go camping.

The fire destroyed 1,042 hectares of the Tamworth region, including parts of the Nundle State Forest and a commercial pine plantation. 

The damage costs were estimated to be between $1.1 and $1.7 million.  

The now 20-year-old pleaded guilty to two charges last year, including intentionally cause a fire and be reckless to its spread and larceny of a value greater than $2,000.

The magistrate said the offence was most grave. 

‘Extremely regretful’ 



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