By Casey Neill at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court
Nur Islam’s intent is a sticking point in the court case over last year’s Springvale bank fire.
The Springvale Rohingya asylum seeker, 22, will return to Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 19 September for committal proceedings.
The court heard on Thursday 1 June that his defence team and the prosecution could not agree on whether his actions at the Commonwealth Bank in Springvale Road on 18 November were intentional or reckless.
Mr Islam appeared via videolink and was assisted by a Burmese interpreter present in the courtroom.
Mr Islam’s lawyer, Kate Ballard, said there was not compelling evidence to support the charges of intentionally causing injury, but that the prosecution disagreed.
“That’s where the point of contention lies,” she said.
“It’s really that narrow issue.”
Magistrate Peter Reardon questioned what his other intent there would have been.
“Just that he intended to start a fire,” Ms Ballard replied.
Magistrate Reardon said: “With a bank full of people?”
He set the matter down for an hour-long hearing and urged the defence and prosecution to determine ahead of time which footage from the incident they planned to show.
Magistrate Reardon also noted that 34 of Mr Islam’s now-108 charges included the term “intentionally”.
The 16 charges added since his last hearing on 11 May included recklessly causing injury and recklessly engaging in conduct that placed people in danger of death.
The initial charges included intentionally and recklessly causing serious injury, causing serious injury in circumstances of gross violence, damage to property by fire, arson and intending to endanger life.
In the charge sheets, police allege Mr Islam poured petrol on the entry and exit floor of the bank and ignited the fuel, “causing a large fire entrapping customers and staff inside the branch”.
The incident injured more than 20 people and caused about $2.5 million in damage.
The bank reopened its doors on Monday 3 May. Staff said that returning to work would help them to heal.
Ms Ballard made no application for bail.
