Kyle Barnstable pleaded guilty in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court online on Tuesday to causing the fire on August 9.
Senior Constable Liam Murdock told the court police had inspected the Mitsubishi Lancer, which had been dumped at the cemetery at 9 am, and removed its registration plates after they were determined to not match the vehicle.
The court heard Barnstable was seen approaching the car on his bike, and Sen Const Murdock said Barnstable told a witness “the car was his and he had to get rid of the car or he was going back to jail”.
The witness told her son, who took a photo of Barnstable as he rode off on his bike and called the CFA.
Barnstable was seen walking towards the Numurkah football oval and another photograph was taken, with the witness flagging down police.
After finding Barnstable behind the football ground, police placed him under arrest and he was taken to Numurkah police station.
Sen Const Murdock said Barnstable had also breached two corrections orders.
Barnstable’s solicitor Megan McKenna urged magistrate Frances Medina to consider a financial penalty for the offence, and any prison term to come with the corrections breaches to be served concurrently.
Ms Medina sentenced Barnstable to two four-month prison sentences for the breaches, which would be served concurrently with a nine-month sentence, which began on September 23.
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