A grocery store owner, who had run the supermarket for almost 30 years, decided to set his shop on fire to get rid of coronavirus.
57-year-old Edward Guy Mason burnt down his own store in Western Australia before trying to commit suicide.
According to reports, Mason locked himself out of the shop and walked home where he got arrested.
Mason, who admitted to smoking eight cannabis bongs before setting the shop on fire, has pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawfully destroying a building by fire, ABC News reported.
The court also heard that the 57-year-old’s mental health had been declining and the Covid-19 pandemic only made it worse.
Shoppers panic buying items left the store out of stock, angering buyers. Many customers also complained about extra rules in the store. Such situations had negative impacts on Mason’s mental health.
The 57-year-old’s lawyer, Richard Lawson, said his client had believed he had contracted coronavirus and decided to burn the store down to protect the people.
“He decided he had to eradicate himself,” Lawson said.
According to reports, his mental health has improved after the arrest. He was receiving counseling and has resumed taking anti-depressant medication.
Judge John Prior said Mason had received 17 character references from his community who described the 57-year-old as ‘well liked and respected.’ People behind those references also said they couldn’t believe what the store owner had done but understood the pressure he had been under.
The judge had previously sentenced Mason to 16 months in jail but decided to suspend it as he had never committed any other offences. The 57-year-old is still ordered to pay his brother for damages caused to adjoining hardware store.
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Replaced!