Falcon Tia Fairburn: Man who melted police pod camera on Christmas morning with hidden lighter dealt a fine

A man who melted a police vehicle’s camera lens with a lighter while detained on Christmas morning has been dealt a fine. Falcon Tia Fairburn appeared in Katanning Magistrates Court on March 24 charged with wilfully and unlawfully destroying or damaging property. The 31-year-old pleaded guilty to the single charge during the hearing, which the prosecution changed from a criminal damage by fire charge after negotiations. Fairburn voluntarily accompanied police into their vehicle in the early morning hours of December 25, 2025. About 1.30am police pulled over to the side of the road in Frankland River because they could no longer see Fairburn in the back seat of the pod through the vehicle’s camera. Police saw smoke coming from inside the pod and discovered Fairburn had used a hidden lighter to melt the camera protector lens and a bag. The lighter was seized and Fairburn admitted to the offence when interviewed at Albany police station. His lawyer Lucy Bourne told the court her client was intoxicated and being transported by police to Albany Health Campus for mental health reasons at the time of the incident. Ms Bourne said Fairburn had not been taking his medication for his schizophrenia and had spent a night on the streets in Albany before being taken to the hospital. She said her client now works as a paver in Rockingham, lives with his mother in the Great Southern on his days off, no longer drinks alcohol and had successfully completed a community suspended imprisonment order. She suggested a fine was appropriate as Fairburn had outstanding treatment needs. Police prosecutor Sgt Dylan Fisher said police were only trying to help Fairburn when he committed the offence but understands mental health and alcohol would have impacted his decision-making. Magistrate Rosemarie Myers said Fairburn should continue treatment after the order’s conclusion and encouraged him to stay away from alcohol. Ms Myers said to Fairburn that he was doing a good job after hearing of all the positive changes, and hoped he could continue on this positive path. Fairburn was fined $750 plus $160.50 in costs.