A South Australian man who hired a crane and attacked another man’s home “causing carnage” will serve his sentence on home detention.
Mount Gambier man Paul John Palmer, 64, was sentenced on Friday to two years, four months and 28 days of home detention after earlier pleading guilty to damaging property.
In sentencing in the Adelaide District Court, Judge Ian Press said Palmer hired a crane on June 22, 2022, and drove it at speed toward the victim’s home.
The victim was referred to as “S” in court.
Palmer then drove the crane into the house without slowing down, before turning and using the crane’s hoisting mechanism to hit and destroy the front verandah.
The Adelaide District Court heard Palmer’s offending was “calculated and vindictive”. (ABC News: Che Chorley)
The court heard he then tried to reverse the crane and again hit the house, before also hitting the boundary fence of the property.
When a neighbour came out to confront Palmer, he complained he was dizzy and asked the neighbour to call an ambulance.
Palmer then told the neighbour to cancel the ambulance and instead went to the Mount Gambier police station, where he told police he had accidentally backed into a friend’s house.
After police received more information, they went to Palmer’s home where he tested positive to methamphetamine, but the prosecution was unable to establish whether he consumed the drug before or after the incident.
A video of the incident, shot by Palmer, was later shared on social media.
Altercation prior to damage
Judge Press said the incident was spurred by an altercation between another man, referred to in court as “L”, and Palmer at a gathering on June 5.
Palmer then asked S over text message to provide a statement about the altercation, but he did not respond to that message or subsequent messages.
Judge Press said Palmer was “aggrieved” when S stopped responding to him, which led to the attack on his home.
Judge Ian Press says the offending caused the victim financial and emotional stress. (ABC News)
The court heard the victim had received a quote for the demolition and reconstruction of his home for about $500,000, but was only able to claim about $216,000 in insurance.
“You have clearly caused significant financial stress to the victim, however, that is not necessarily the most significant consequence of your offending,” Judge Press said.
“The emotional toll on the victim has impacted not only him but also his family and friends.
“Your actions have had consequences for his work, his sleep, his stress and his relationships.”
Medical issues prompt home detention
Judge Press said that, since the incident in June 2022, Palmer had his lower leg amputated due to gangrene spreading from his big toe.
Judge Press said the offending was “calculated and vindictive” and Palmer showed “little remorse”, evidenced by the video he took of the incident.
The block of land where the house, which was damaged by Palmer, formerly stood. (ABC South East SA: Eugene Boisvert)
He said Palmer’s current health problems were no reason to suspend his sentence, but they did mean serving the sentence as home detention was suitable.
“In particular, I bear in mind that imprisonment will be more onerous for you and that being in the community will provide better opportunities for you to be fitted with a prosthetic and for you to engage in ongoing therapy in that regard,” he said.
Palmer will be eligible for parole in June 2027.