Wednesday 22 June 2022 10:50 AM Melbourne news: Jumping castle boss obsessed with becoming king of industry ... trends now
View
comments
James Balcombe was obsessed with eliminating his rivals and jumping to the top of the jumping castle industry when he hatched a plan to burn down the competition.
The 57-year-old has pleaded guilty to 11 charges of conspiracy to commit arson on several Victorian jumping castle businesses in 2016 and 2017.
Balcombe instructed three men to carry out arson attacks on his competitors and then on his own business, paying them $2000 for each fire, the Victorian County Court heard on Wednesday.
Balcombe started working in the jumping castle industry in 2010 and was 'obsessed' with becoming the best in Victoria, his barrister Simon Kenny said.
'His drive was to become the most successful businessman in this field of jumping castle hire, in doing so he completely lost perspective,' he said.
'He wanted to put his competitors out of business.'
James Balcombe has pleaded guilty to 11 charges of conspiracy to commit arson on several Victorian jumping castle businesses in 2016 and 2017
Many of the arson attacks were unsuccessful, with minor damage caused after Molotov cocktails were thrown into car parks, vehicles or through windows into the front of buildings.
However, Michael Andrew's A&A Jumping
