Gavin Hach was fuming about having to provide a medical certificate, stating he was able to return to work, to his boss at JJ Richards. 

He attended the Wodonga business on May 6 last year “full of unjustified anger”, two appeal judges noted this week, and broke windows on two trucks before pouring in petrol and starting a fire.

He had regularly been using morphine before the offence, and was drinking about 18 standard drinks of alcohol each day.

While four trucks were engulfed by flames and destroyed, Hach was only dealt with in court for the two vehicles he intended to burn.

The two trucks had a combined value of $700,000.

Hach was ordered to serve a year in jail in March, followed by a five year community corrections order.

He must complete 500 hours of community work, or treatment, as part of the order.

But the Wodonga man argued the sentence was excessive, given he has no priors, pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity, and co-operated with police.

He said his lawyers had not be asked to address Judge Marilyn Harbison about the length of the order and there was no evidence that the five year period would help with his rehabilitation.

Hach has a range of issues, including substance abuse, anger problems, suicidal behaviour, and antisocial personality disorder.

But appeal judges Pamela Tate and Kim Hargrave rejected the appeal.

“This was serious offending,” they noted in the Victorian Supreme Court this week.

They said Hach’s defence team did not address Judge Harbison about the length of the order, and noted Hach’s problems were well entrenched. 

“This approach is in the interests of the offender and the community,” they said of the lengthy corrections order. ​

They found the sentence was not manifestly excessive. 

Hach had already served 144 days in jail before he was sentenced in March. 

He will be released in late October.