Man set fire to drilling rig
A 25-year-old man’s Akaroa arson that destroyed a $350,000 drilling machine was meant to be a money-making scheme.
Instead, Dylan Massy Heremia’s offending has landed him a three-year four-month jail term.
He was sentenced by Judge David Saunders in the Christchurch District Court today.
The insurance company has taken a realistic approach and is not seeking reparations from Heremia for the damage, but Judge Saunders ordered that after his release from prison he must pay $5000 to his employers – the cost of their insurance excess.
He said Heremia had been employed in Akaroa using the drilling machine to lay pipes as part of an upgrade around the town.
His wages partly depended on completing the pipe-laying and he became frustrated because the company’s drilling machine that he was using kept breaking down.
He went to the drilling machine on a night last June and placed timber beneath it, before pouring petrol and diesel over it and setting it on fire. The machine was destroyed.
He said later that he knew that the company had a more modern machine available and he hoped that would be used as a replacement and would break down less often, leading to more pay for him.
As the inquiries continued, he eventually confessed to the arson, and then while he was on bail he committed a house burglary, unlawfully took a car, shoplifted from a liquor store, and drove with excess breath-alcohol.
He also admitted a charge of disorderly behaviour. He had gone to a service station in Lincoln Road where he was denied entry. He became enraged and threw road cones at the windows because he simply wanted in to buy a pie and a coke.
Defence counsel Cindy Lee said Heremia had been making good use of his time on remand, by doing a small business course and doing cleaning work in his cell block. He hoped to be able to work in the prison kitchen after he was sentenced.
Judge Saunders imposed a series of sentences totalling three years nine months, and disqualification from driving for six months. Heremia will have to pay reparations of $5000 for the arson, and $349 for the drink he stole from the liquor shop.
Category: Focus
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