Qld: Man trashes cemetery and then blames ex-wife - court told

AAP General News (Australia)
12-21-2006
Qld: Man trashes cemetery and then blames ex-wife - court told

BRISBANE, Dec 18 AAP - A man who trashed a cemetery and then blamed it on his ex-wife
has been given a six month intensive correction order.

Scott David Starling, 31, a bricklayer of Toowoomba, pleaded guilty in the District
Court in Brisbane today to one count each of wilful damage, enter premises with intent
and fraud in June 2003.

The court heard Starling was an employee at The Garden of Remembrance at Toowoomba,
west of Brisbane, for six years until he left in August 2002.

Judge Tony Rafter said Starling caused extensive damage totalling more than $13,000.

This included flooding the soldier's memorial, smashing urns, and writing obscene words
on buildings in June the following year.

Judge Rafter said the vandalism appeared to have been sparked by spite against Starling's
former employer and his ex-wife.

"You claimed to have been treated unfairly by your former employer ...," Judge Rafter said.

"You must have felt you had some grievance against the Garden of Remembrance ... even
if the grievance can't be justified."

Judge Rafter said it was disgraceful, that after causing the damage, he led the management
of the cemetery to believe his ex-wife was responsible.

The prosecution had asked for an actual jail term for the offence, which carries a
maximum of five years in jail.

However, Judge Rafter said he took into account Starling's early plea, that he was
employed and supporting a family including three children, and that he had paid $6,500
in compensation and was willing to pay off the rest in instalments over nine months.

AAP smk/sc/goc/de

KEYWORD: STARLING

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