A Hawker man who allegedly tried to torch a car claims he had been abducted and took the vehicle to escape his captors, a court has heard.
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Leonard Wrigley, 42, called the police about 8.30pm on Sunday and reported he had been snatched, bound, and put in the back of a vehicle.
He claimed he had made the call after just managing to escape.
But instead officers arrested and charged him for allegedly damaging a car with fire.
Wrigley was granted bail by the ACT Magistrates Court yesterday after he appeared on a charge of arson.
It is alleged Wrigley had been drinking with another man before they went to a bonfire in Wallaroo on Sunday night about 6.30pm.
The pair had several petty arguments on the drive to the NSW property, before getting into a farm ute to drive closer to the fire.
During the drive the defendant allegedly pulled the handbrake and grabbed the wheel, causing the car to spin and stop on grass.
He then allegedly punched the other man in the nose and jaw several times, before dragging him from the ute.
Wrigley then allegedly took the car and drove towards Macgregor.
Police were called and spoke to the alleged victim and the car's owner.
About 7pm, Wrigley allegedly went to a Higgins house and asked a man for help to dispose of the car, saying: "I have a problem and I need to get rid of this car."
The pair drove a short distance, where the defendant allegedly doused the car in liquid from a fuel container and set it alight.
The pair returned to the Higgins home where they fought.
The police were called and Wrigley allegedly fled on foot.
Police found the car soon after and reported it smelt of petrol and had a large burn mark on the front drivers side.
Wrigley was then arrested at the Hawker shops after calling police.
The prosecution opposed Wrigley's bail application on the grounds he could flee the ACT and go to his family home in Queensland.
Prosecutor Angus Webb said Wrigley had blamed his incarceration on the Rebels Outlaw Motorcycle Gang.
Mr Webb told the court the defendant had said he would "shoot them all", although it had not been clear if he meant the bikies or his alleged victims.
But Wrigley's Legal Aid lawyer said his client denied threatening or implicating the Rebels to police.
The defence argued Wrigley had no history of failing to answer his bail, had strong ties to the territory, and the flight risk could be mitigated by bail conditions.
He also offered a cash surety to the court.
Magistrate Peter Dingwall said the surety had been unnecessary in granting bail.
But he did order the defendant report to Belconnen police station daily, not leave the ACT, not drink or use drugs, observe a curfew, and not go to the suburbs of Page, Macgregor or Hall.
Mr Dingwall said Wrigley could be easily extradited from Queensland if he did run, but the inconvenience would be lesser than denying Wrigley his freedom.
The accused will reappear in October.
