Teen who set three men alight gets off with warning

Timothy Shand set three men alight after he threw petrol on a fire. Photo / Hawkes Bay Today

An Invercargill teenager, who set three men alight after he threw petrol on a fire, was given a warning under the three strikes law when he appeared at Invercargill District Court today.

Judge Kevin Phillips convicted Timothy John Shand, 18, of disfiguring a man after acting with reckless disregard for the safety of others.

The court was told Shand had organised an outdoor party at the house of his girlfriend's mother on the night of June 4. An estimated 200 young people showed up to it.

Shand had obtained a metal drum in which he lit a fire. During the course of the night several items were added to the fire, including lighters and a wooden garden chair.

Shand's lawyer Kate McHugh said he removed the chair from the drum and, in an attempt to get the fire burning better, he went into the shed and poured petrol into a pot.

He made his way with the pot towards the drum as a chant began "pet-rol, pet-rol", she said. He didn't notice the three men standing behind the fire and, instead of pouring the petrol into the drum, he threw it on, Ms McHugh said.

Judge Phillips said that, as a result of that reckless action, a fireball erupted, engulfing the three victims and setting their clothes on fire.

Two of them managed to remove their burning clothes but the third, Demitri Tapu, was wearing overalls. The 17-year-old suffered serious burns to his throat, neck, hands and face and was admitted to intensive care where he was placed in an induced coma.

The judge said it was likely Mr Tapu would have permanent scarring as a result.

"He says he feels like a freak when he's in public."

Judge Phillips said Shand had shown a high level of recklessness. "You still describe this as an accident. It was not an accident. The result was inevitable."

He warned Shand under the three strikes law before sentencing him to six months' home detention and 200 hours' community work. Shand was also ordered not to consume alcohol during the course of his sentence and to attend drug and alcohol counselling as directed.

He was ordered to pay $300 reparation to each of his victims and $2500 emotional harm reparation to Mr Tapu.

- NZPA