Man burns car to rid of ‘stalker'

AN ELLIOTT Heads man who set fire to a car after he "snapped" because a woman was allegedly stalking him, has narrowly escaped a prison term.

Joshua Edward Burden, 23, of Elliott Heads, pleaded guilty to wilful damage, stealing and arson when he faced the Bundaberg District Court yesterday.

Prosecutor David Nardone told the court on May 8 last year the victim had been driving down the street and stopped to talk to Burden who in a rampage began to kick the vehicle.

He said Burden kicked the doors causing dints, pulled off a side mirror and jumped on the bonnet.

Mr Nardone said when Burden passed the car in the same spot the next day, still angry, he stole petrol from the car and used that to set it alight.

But defence barrister Kim Bryson said the response had been a result of the woman constantly harassing him by following him, spreading malicious rumours and turning up to his place of work.

Ms Bryson said Burden had met the woman, in her 50s, at the Elliott Heads Bowls Club and had been polite to her as "he felt sorry for her because she was on her own".

She said the next day Burden arrived at work to find the woman had already been there and introduced herself to his boss as Burden's new girlfriend.

Ms Bryson said the woman's behaviour "continued for a number of months".

"She would follow him to work and approach him at work," she said.

"She would follow him if she saw him driving his car."

The court also heard the woman was banned from the Elliott Heads Bowls Club because of her behaviour but would wait outside in the car park for Burden.

Mr Bryson said the woman also started rumours that Burden was selling ecstasy and that she had contracted a sexually transmitted disease from him.

Judge David Reid sentenced Burden to a three-year suspended sentence for the arson and 18 months probation for the wilful damage.

Judge Reid said Burden only narrowly missed going to jail.