In short:
Accused Oxford Hotel arsonist Joseph Chehade has been refused bail during his first court appearance.
The Adelaide Magistrates Court heard he had handed himself in to police after he was allegedly captured on CCTV entering the North Adelaide premises on Saturday morning.
What’s next?
Mr Chehade will return to court in November.
A man accused of lighting a fire in a complex containing the Oxford Hotel had previously been charged with assaulting the part-owner of the property, a court has heard.
Joseph Paul Chehade, 37, of North Adelaide, appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Monday, where he applied for release on bail.
The court heard he had handed himself in to police on Saturday evening.
Magistrate Kym Millard said Mr Chehade had told police he started a small fire in the complex which “accidentally got out of control”.
Magistrate Millard said the person of interest could be “seen on CCTV footage to walk towards the address that the fire occurred at 6:45am”.
“Then, shortly thereafter, the fire began and the accused is identified … as the person walking east on Tynte Street,” the magistrate said.
“He admits to having left his telephone behind, he says he approached someone in the street and asked them to call (emergency services).
“The prosecution case is that forensic investigators will provide evidence to support a conclusion that an accelerant was used, the defendant has an explanation as to why there may have been accelerant found in the damaged building.”
The magistrate said the alleged offending happened just two weeks after Mr Chehade was released on bail for an alleged assault.
The court heard Mr Chehade had been charged with assault causing harm after an altercation with a part-owner of the complex.
Magistrate Millard said it was also alleged Mr Chehade had caused damage to another O’Connell Street property which the alleged victim owned.
He said Mr Chehade had been informed on July 14, two weeks before the fire broke out, that the complex was to be sold and he could no longer stay at the property.
The magistrate said the fire caused in “excess of $1 million” damage to the complex, which contains the historic hotel.
Duty solicitor Tyson Leung applied for bail on behalf of her client saying he intended to contest the charge.
A prosecutor opposed the application citing the seriousness of the offending.
The magistrate denied the bail application, saying Mr Chehade was a “very poor candidate for bail”.
“The charges are far too serious given the events that occurred over a period of weeks,” he said.
“They suggest a compulsive position of anger and retribution towards the (victim).”
Mr Chehade will next appear in court in November.
