Enraged over child support payments, Carl Brendon Philipp filled his car with petrol, including pouring it around inside, effectively turning it into a “mobile molotov cocktail”.

He then drove it into his ex-partner’s house and set it on fire.

At the time, police were standing outside on the driveway of the victim’s home, talking to her about threats Philipp had just made.

He was four times over the legal blood alcohol limit when he came roaring down the driveway of her Hauraki home before crashing into the house and coming to a stop inside a child’s bedroom.

Philipp then set it on fire.

The house, his car, and the attending patrol car all suffered significant damage.

Philipp appeared in the Hamilton District Court on Tuesday for sentencing on charges of driving with an excess blood alcohol level and arson after the incident at Hikutaia on the evening of July 31 last year.

‘Mobile molotov cocktail’

It was 7.24pm on that day when Philipp called the victim “in a rage”.

During the phone call, he threatened her, saying, “F***, you have no idea what’s f****** coming”.

Fearful, she called police.

Philipp, meanwhile, drove his Suzuki Swift to Mobil Kopu and pumped fuel into his petrol tank.

He also filled a 10-litre tote tank, and then poured petrol into the interior of his car, effectively turning his vehicle into a “mobile molotov cocktail”.

In total, he bought 57 litres of petrol.

From there, he drove south to the victim’s home in Hikutaia.

Meanwhile, the police had arrived and spoke to the victim on her driveway, while her children stayed inside the house.

At 7.53pm, Philipp, who was intoxicated, deliberately drove the car at “full speed” down the driveway and into the house, crashing into one of the childrens’ bedrooms.

As soon as the car hit the house, he ignited the fuel, causing his vehicle to burst into flames and setting fire to the victim’s house.

The fire caused “a significant amount” of damage to not only the house and his own car but also the attending patrol car, court documents state.

Philipp got out of the car but suffered burn injuries and was taken to hospital.

A blood test revealed he had a blood alcohol level of 204mg. The legal limit is 50mg.

‘He’s restored his good character’

Philipp’s counsel, Amin Osama, said his client knew he was going to prison, it was just a matter of how long.

He was seeking the maximum of 40% in discounts, taking into account his guilty pleas, previous good character, his motivation to change, and the impact a jail sentence would have on the 9-year-old daughter he shares with the victim.

“It’s clear he has a loving relationship with his daughter.”

A pre-sentence report found that Philipp was a “well-meaning person and contributor to the community”.

“It’s rare when someone can restore their previous good character, and Mr Philipp is someone who has restored their good character.”

Osama was referring to how it had been 11 years since Philipp’s last drink-driving conviction.

He’d bought to court references from his employer, his parents, and his sister, who all described him as a “good father, son, and family man”.

Judge Noel Cocurullo quizzed Crown Solicitor James Lewis about reparation, asking if any reports about money owed had been completed, given the amount of damage caused.

However, Lewis said there wasn’t anything on file.

Judge Cocurullo agreed to issue 35% in discounts, including 20% for the defendant’s guilty plea.

He jailed Philipp for three years and four months and disqualified him from driving for two years.

Belinda Feek is an Open Justice reporter based in Waikato. She has worked at NZME for 11 years and has been a journalist for 22.