A man accused of murdering his wife by setting fire to the house the couple shared will stand trial in the Supreme Court, after a magistrate decided there was enough evidence to support a conviction over the alleged crimes.
Roland Griffiths, 38, is accused of murdering Kylie Griffiths, 36, at the Albanvale home the couple lived in when he set it alight by pouring petrol throughout the kitchen and living areas on March 14 last year.
At the conclusion of a three-day committal hearing that began in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Monday, magistrate Malcolm Thomas ordered Mr Griffiths to face the charges of murder, criminal damage by fire and endangering life and arson.
Mr Griffiths has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
A summary of the police case, released by the court, alleges that Mr Griffiths, who was unemployed and on government benefits at the time of the offending, had been drinking throughout the day of the incident and was drunk when he began to pour petrol over the kitchen and living area of their Sutherland St home.
The summary alleges at about 5pm Mr Griffiths lit the area on fire with a cigarette lighter after yelling “you want me to do it” or “don’t make me do it.”
Ms Griffiths died as a result of her injuries in hospital later that week, while a teenage girl also sustained serious injuries and was taken to the Royal Children’s Hospital in a critical condition.
The summary said there were seven children living in the home at the time, along with Mr and Ms Griffiths.
The committal mention, which Mr Griffiths attended via a Webex link from prison, heard that Ms Griffiths had burns to 91 per cent of her body - injuries which the court heard were “unsurvivable.”
The court also heard from the couple’s neighbour, Adrian Hamilton, on Monday, when the court heard that he sprayed Ms Griffiths’ with a hose after jumping the dividing fence.
Mr Griffiths will face the Supreme Court on April 21.
The charges of attempted murder have been dropped.
