Man bailed after setting a Gold Coast hotel on fire
A man accused of causing extensive damage to a Surfers Paradise hotel has been released on bail.
Benjamin Frederick Sutherland, 43, was charged with endangering property by fire and wilful damage following an incident at a Gold Coast Highway hotel on October 24.
Emergency services were called around 7:30 pm, finding a small fire on the building’s seventh floor.
Smoke triggered sprinklers, which caused flooding on the fifth, sixth, and seventh floors, resulting in tens of thousands of dollars in damage.
Police arrested Sutherland at the scene and held him in custody.
During a bail hearing, police opposed his release, arguing the evidence against him was “relatively strong”, saying his actions might be linked to mental health and substance issues.
Defence lawyer Troy Smith explained that Sutherland had relapsed after his mother’s recent death while he was travelling to visit her. Smith told the court his client could stay with his cousin on the Gold Coast and would work toward securing a place in a rehabilitation facility.
Magistrate Anna Smith granted conditional bail, noting Sutherland’s lack of prior criminal history and the lengthy wait he would face in custody.
The case is set to return to court on November 28.
Jonathan Jackson, 6th November 2024
