The front verandah and door were destroyed, the bedroom and hallway damaged, and smoke damage occurred to the neighbour's property. "I would just like to apologise from the bottom of my heart," the 39-year-old said via video link from Nowra prison. The group used a stolen Mercedes with cloned plates for the arson attack and surveilled Shanks' home before pouring petrol at three separate locations. The motive for the Shanks arson attack was not detailed in court, nor were any details released about what Tauese-Auelua personally gained from his involvement. Prosecutors on Friday dropped the case against a second man charged over the 2022 arson attack due to insufficient evidence.