Kai Kori Lucas sets sister's Nissan ute on fire to pay his drug debt

Kai Kori Lucas, 26, appeared via audio-visual link from Bathurst Correctional Centre in Dubbo Local Court last week where he pleaded guilty to intentionally damaging property by fire.

Police from the Central North police district were investigating the supply of drugs in the Cobar area, when they intercepted a number of phone conversations between Kai Kori Lucas, 26, and a co-accused.

In the early hours of February 3 this year, Lucas was recorded asking the co-accused - who had checked in to the Cattleman's Country motor inn at Dubbo - for help to set fire to a motor vehicle.

A number of messages were sent between the pair discussing what parts the co-accused wanted from the vehicle, and what tools they needed to remove them.

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About 4am that morning Lucas was monitored discussing where they would set fire to the vehicle, and told the co-accused he would walk down, get the vehicle and arranged to meet him.

At 6am police attended Sappa Bulga Reserve, and found a maroon Nissan Navara ute on fire. The NSW Rural Fire Service attended and extinguished the blaze.

Checks revealed the vehicle belonged to Lucas' sister.

Later that morning officers attended the woman's home where her husband told police they had parked and secured the vehicle in their driveway before the pair went to bed the night before.

Officers noticed the side gate to the house was ajar, and the man saw the rear door of the house was open and the keys missing from the kitchen.

Police attended Lucas' home in May but was unable to locate him. Officers attended the woman's home who confirmed he was her brother, but said she didn't believe he would set fire to their vehicle.

Later that morning Lucas attended Dubbo police station where he was placed under arrest.

In April, officers executed a search warrant at the co-accused's home in Cobar where he was also placed under arrest for a number of matters.

In sentencing last week, defence lawyer Joy Kirby ultimately asked the court to consider imposing an intensive corrections order - a jail term served in the community - given his youth and need to attend a residential rehab facility.

She said the sentencing assessment report not only indicated her clients understanding of the impact his offending had on his sister, but the broader risks his conduct presented to the community and emergency service personnel.

"He acknowledges the disruption and impact he's caused to [his sister and her family's] life and impact on them financially," Ms Kirby told the court.

While the court heard Lucas' criminal history didn't assist him, as it involved a number of driving matters from 2016 to 2018, Ms Kirby noted around 2019 things had "very much gone off the rails".

She told the court Mr Lucas experienced a number of mental health issues, and had been diagnosed with depression and bipolar, but had reverted to drug use to manage his symptoms.

Ms Kirby explained there was a nexus between Lucas' offending, his drug use and not managing his mental health, noting the vehicle was set alight and sold for parts to cover his "drug debt".

"The co-accused essentially benefited from a number of items taken from the vehicle, it was taken out to the reserve where these items were removed by the co-accused ... Mr Lucas was indebted to that co-accused for drugs being supplied to him," Ms Kirby told the court.

She asked Magistrate Daryl Pearce to consider imposing a jail term in the community, or adjusting the standard non-parole ratio to allow her client to move to a residential rehab facility as part of his parole conditions.

"He recognises the only way he's going to get on top of these things is time in residential rehab," she said.

Magistrate Pearce found there was no other alternative to full time imprisonment, as Lucas was on a community corrections order for another matter at the time of this offending.

Lucas was sentenced to two years imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 18 months backdated to July 15 when he entered custody. He will then be released on parole where he will be under supervision to treat his drug and alcohol abuse, including attending a rehabilitation facility.