By Cam Lucadou-Wells
An “obsessed” jumping-castle company owner who hired arsonists to burn rival businesses “to the ground” has been jailed for up to 11 years.
James Balcombe, 58, pleaded guilty at the Victorian County Court to 11 counts of conspiring to commit arson.
He ordered hits on competitors’ industrial premises in Tullamarine, Werribee, Hoppers Crossing, Hallam, Keysborough and Warragul – and even his own shed – to varying effect in late 2016-early 2017.
At the time, the Awesome Party Hire owner was growing a successful business for the first time.
But he became “fixated” and “obsessed” with out-doing his rivals, sentencing judge Stewart Bayles noted on 18 May.
Hired for $2000 a job, the arsonists smashed factory windows, poured petrol and threw Molotov cocktails inside. Many of the fires didn’t take hold, including at Hallam and Keysborough.
During the latter, the owner was sleeping in the premises when he heard a bang and the Molotov cocktail bottle burning outside.
It illustrated the “potential for danger” always apparent in arson crimes, Judge Bayles said.
In contrast, a competitor’s Hoppers Crossing factory, its contents and a truck – in effect the entire business – were completely destroyed, causing a devastating $1.48 million loss.
Among the destroyed items were 110 jumping castles worth $80,000 as well as children’s petrol Jeeps, racing go-karts, a stock racing car, a mechanical bull and a forklift.
The uninsured husband-and-wife couple tried but failed to rebuild their business using their savings. They are now working part-time in child-care.
The damage extended beyond physical property but caused “enormous” loss, suffering and emotional trauma, Judge Bayles noted.
After that job, Balcombe told the arsonist he wanted all jobs done like that.
In Tullamarine, a party-hire van was set alight with fuel and destroyed. Balcombe told his co-offenders he was not happy and unwilling to pay them, due to not burning the factory.
Balcombe ordered his hitmen to re-do failed attempts – up to another two times at some premises.
Finally, Balcombe ordered a fire which destroyed his own business shed in Kangaroo Ground to deflect suspicion. He filed a fraudulent insurance claim for $1.1 million.
After his arrest, Balcombe absconded while on bail to Western Australia. He was located by Australian Federal Police two years later, sporting a long beard and wig as well as false IDs.
Two of the three co-offenders have been jailed. They were given reduced sentences after undertaking to testify against Balcombe.
Judge Bayles said Balcombe as the “apex” or instigator was the most culpable.
He noted Balcombe had never been diagnosed or treated for his long-standing mental health conditions, as well as his guilty plea.
The accused’s rehabilitation prospects were “difficult to assess”.
Balcombe’s jail term includes 938 days already served in pre-sentence detention.
He will be eligible for parole after serving seven years and 10 months.
