A man has been charged with attempted murder, arson and domestic violence offences after allegedly setting fire to a Brisbane house with two women inside.
The two women escaped the blaze unharmed after the house in Wooloowin was engulfed in flames at about 6.15am on Sunday morning.
Police believe the fire was started with accelerant in the garage of the house, where a car exploded.
Approximately six hours before the fire, the man had become subject to police protection orders after neighbours heard a woman scream at the property at around midnight. Police were called to the scene, and the man was taken into custody.
“It was given a code two response due to the urgency of the situation,” Inspector Sean Cryer said. “We had the first response crew on-scene within five minutes. Within two minutes of arriving we had a male person in custody.”
But when the man left the watch house hours later under strict bail conditions, it is alleged he went back to the house and set fire to it with the two women inside.
He has been charged with two counts of attempted murder and two counts of arson – for the vehicle and the house – and one count of contravention of a police protection notice, assault occasioning bodily harm, common assault and damage in relation to earlier incidents at the house.
A man will face court this morning accused of burning down a home near Brisbane while two women were inside. #9News pic.twitter.com/l7uDi5TRtW
— 9News Queensland (@9NewsQueensland) May 16, 2021
When police were called to the scene around 6am, the house had already been engulfed in flames and the women had escaped without injury. Police said the 34-year-old man voluntarily attended the Hendra police station about 11.30am.
The accused’s case has gone before court, he did not apply for bail and will remain in custody. His lawyer saying that this was an “unfortunate” incident. @9NewsQueensland
— Sophie Upcroft (@SophieUpcroft) May 16, 2021
The man’s case went before the court on Monday morning. He did not apply for bail and will remain in custody, according to Nine News. His lawyer said this was an ‘unfortunate” incident.
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