A person accused of murdering his spouse by setting her on fire had been consuming on the afternoon of the alleged offence and was looking for a “favorite knife” that day, court docket paperwork reveal.
Kylie Griffiths, 36, died consequently of her accidents when her Albanvale state housing house in Melbourne was set on fire on March 14 final yr.
Her husband, Roland Griffiths, has been charged with his spouse’s murder and the tried murder of a youngster additionally current on the time who obtained critical burns and required transportation to the Royal Children’s Hospital in a crucial situation.
On Monday, what’s scheduled to be a three-day committal listening to started within the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court, on the finish of which Justice of the Peace Malcolm Thomas will resolve whether or not there’s sufficient proof for Mr Griffiths to face trial over the allegations.
Charge sheets launched by the courts present Mr Griffiths, 38, has been charged with 13 offences, which alongside with murder and tried murder embrace prices of deliberately damaging property.
At the time of the offending Mr Griffiths was unemployed and receiving authorities advantages, whereas the Sutherland St house was owned by the Department of Family Fairness and Housing.
A abstract of the police case alleges that the accused had been consuming on the day of the alleged incident and, at about 5pm, he intentionally set fire to Ms Griffiths and the kitchen of their state housing house by pouring petrol over his spouse and the realm.
It alleges there had been a number of arguments between the accused and Ms Griffiths previous to the blaze, together with one by which he threatened to “break her neck” and tried to find a “favorite weapon,” which was described as a machete-style knife.
Before allegedly igniting the fire, the police abstract states Mr Griffiths took a purple gasoline can from the entrance porch and commenced to pour petrol on the lounge room carpet and within the space close to the entrance entry with a purpose to block the exit.
It alleges he lit the fire by igniting a cigarette lighter after saying “you need me to do it?” and “don’t make me do it”.
It additionally alleges that a youngster was within the petrol-soaked kitchen when Mr Griffiths allegedly set it alight, inflicting her critical burn accidents.
That teenager, who can’t be recognized for authorized causes, was pressured to go away the home by way of a locked rear door and, in keeping with the abstract, heroically rescued one other minor who was trapped in a bed room – actions that police imagine saved the kid’s life.
Seven youngsters have been on the Sutherland St house on the time of the fire, the abstract says.
On Monday, the court docket was advised of a neighbour who jumped a fence into the property and applied a hose to Ms Griffiths.
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