A violent thug who tried to kidnap a woman while she was high on ice before committing other serious crimes, including arson while on parole, could soon be released from prison.
Beau Thomas Andrew Burke, 26, has a history of drug-fueled violence and has breached his probation twice in less than four years in central Queensland.
The thug, who has the letters “HARD” tattooed on the knuckles of his left hand, once tried to kidnap a young woman, telling her “I love you.”
He has also caused tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage after setting fire to a car and a houseboat while on parole for his previous crimes.
Despite his extensive record, authorities are silent on the details of his imminent release into the community, according to news.com.au.
Beau Thomas Andrew Burke (pictured) has a history of drug-fueled violence and has violated his probation twice in less than four years.
The tattooed thug once tried to kidnap a young woman, telling her ‘I love you’, and caused tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage after setting fire to a car and a houseboat while on parole.
Burke’s violent offending began after he injected himself with 0.3 grams of methamphetamine and stole his neighbor’s Toyota Hilux ute in the early hours of May 13, 2019.
He stopped and asked a 24-year-old woman for directions as she waited outside the North Rockhampton hotel in central Queensland for her boyfriend to pick her up.
The tattooed thug pounced on the terrified woman, put her in a headlock and dragged her towards the stolen vehicle.
Burke’s chilling response when she asked him what he wanted was, “I want you.”
The woman was only able to escape when the stolen car honked and someone at the hotel ran to her aid.
Burke was then involved in a high-speed chase before crashing 30 kilometers away and assaulting officers who eventually arrested him.
He also kicked a police dog during his arrest.
Incredibly, he was released on parole when he was sentenced in 2020 after 13 months in pre-sentence custody, a punishment which Judge Michael Burnett hoped would be “enlightening enough”.
Despite the judge telling him he would be jailed if he committed more crimes, Burke set fire to a car and a moored houseboat less than a year later.
The double act of arson was committed while Burke was placed on ice on April 9, 2021, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage.
He claimed he thought the car was abandoned and, after searching it for valuables, panicked when he realized his fingerprints were all over it.
Burke’s lawyers claimed he then set the car on fire in an attempt to cover up the evidence before sensing the scene when confronted by a friend of the car’s owner.
Burke’s violent crimes began after he injected himself with 0.3 grams of methamphetamine and stole his neighbor’s truck in the early hours of May 13, 2019.
He then swam across Rockhampton’s crocodile-infested Fitzroy River to a moored houseboat, which he also set alight.
The devastated owner, who had planned to use the boat when he retired, estimated the boat’s value at up to $40,000.
Burke received a four-year prison sentence and was scheduled for parole in August 2022.
However, his crimes continued after his release from prison when, in June 2023, he went on another methamphetamine-fueled rampage in which he attempted to carjack several people.
Among his victims was a 17-year-old girl, whose wrist he grabbed before uttering the threat: “Give me your damn keys.”
Burke pleaded guilty to a series of offenses and received an 18-month sentence.
Despite the judge telling him at his 2020 sentencing that he would be jailed if he committed any more crimes, Burke set fire to a car (pictured) and a moored houseboat.
The devastated owner, who had planned to use the houseboat when he retired, estimated the boat’s value was up to $40,000 (pictured).
“Once again you have acted selfishly in your decision to take dangerous drugs, predominantly methamphetamine,” Judge Jeff Clarke told Rockhampton District Court last month.
‘On this occasion, his behavior was again irrational and unpredictable.
“Previous lengthy prison orders have failed to deter you or give you a reason to change your lifestyle.”
Despite his comments, Judge Clarke reportedly granted Burke immediate eligibility for parole, given the time he had already served in custody.
It is understood Burke remains in custody but will be released imminently.
Daily Mail Australia has approached Queensland Corrections for comment.
