A Ballarat landscaper allegedly poured fuel into a petrol station night window and set it on fire while an attendant was present inside.
Landscaper Stuart McGillivray, 41, faced Ballarat Magistrates’ Court on Monday from custody over his alleged “completely irrational” and potentially “disastrous” actions at a petrol station.
The court heard in June 2024, McGillivray allegedly stabbed a Soldiers Hill man in his chest who was having a dispute with a member of McGillivray’s family.
On November 13, he allegedly snatched a phone charger from a man queuing at Ballarat Base Hospital’s patient fast track area, and then punched him in the back of the head.
Later that day, police found him “lethargic” and “minimally responsive” in a car on Sturt St, with officers allegedly discovering a glass pipe, syringes, methamphetamine, heroin, GHB, and brass knuckles on his person or in his vehicle.
At 2.30am on November 14, McGillivray allegedly stood at the night counter of an Ampol petrol station for 15 minutes before asking for cigarettes.
He is then accused of putting petrol in a watering can from the nearby pumps, emptying it in the station’s night window, pulling out a lighter, and setting the fuel on fire.
The worker inside used an extinguisher to put out the flames, which did not spread, the court heard.
The court heard McGillivray did not recall the petrol station incident due to his level of intoxication, was embarrassed by his behaviour, and had been “bottling a lot [up]”.
McGillivray will return to court on January 23.
He has spent 60 days in custody and made no application for bail.
Extracted in full from: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/ballarat/landscaper-stuart-mcgillivray-faces-ballarat-court-for-allegedly-setting-fire-to-petrol-station-night-window/news-story/55f804be9e39d2e564e4f5d3cce91ef9
