A man accused of lighting the Fingal bushfires told police in an interview that he hated fire because "fire was the scariest thing about".
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Robert Peter Matthewson, 36, of Mangana, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of unlawfully setting fire to vegetation on December 8, December 18 and December 30, 2019.
A Supreme Court jury in Launceston heard an interview with police recorded on January 4 last year.
In the interview, Mr Matthewson denied that he had lighted the fire of December 30.
READ MORE: QR codes to be mandatory in taxis, Ubers
Then Detective Sergeant Jonathan Riley put it to Mr Mathewson that the only reasonable conclusion was that Mr Matthewson had started the fire.
"No way, I'm trying to build a life for myself here, I was the only idiot on the property," he said.
"Why would I be stupid enough to light a fire when I'm the only one about?"
"It is so detrimental to everything I'm trying to do.
The last thing I want to do is hurt people.
- Robert Mathewson
Then Detective Sergeant Riley said police were not trying to hurt people but that the fire got away from him.
"No way I would not f***ing do it. I hate f***ing fire it is the scariest thing about."
Mr Matthewson said in the interview that he was in the process of buying the Mangana property from the owner but that the relationship had turned sour.
He agreed with a suggestion that owner Zachary Mead and his father Alan were trying to get him off the property known as Bluestonia.
He said that after a verbal confrontation with Mr Mead he told Zachary that "he would not get a civil reception" if he came to inspect the property.
Senior Constable Ryan Appleton gave evidence that he arrested Mr Matthewson at the Hobart Airport on February 25 this year for a potential breach of bail conditions.
He said Mr Matthewson had a flight booked to Adelaide.
Asked by Acting Justice Brian Martin whether Mr Matthewson checked-in baggage, Senior Constable Appleton said there were two or three bags and a computer chair.
"Was there a return ticket?" Acting Justice Martin asked.
"It was a single oneway pass," Senior Constable Appleton said.
He was asked in cross examination by defence counsel Fran McCracken whether Mr Mathewson seemed depressed or sad.
"No to me, he seemed quite flustered," he said.
During the police interview, Mr Matthewson suggested that a man he had kicked off the property, Anthony Jackman, may have lit the fire or Alan Mead or a man who rode a motorbike.
"Did you make enquiries about them?" Ms McCracken asked.
"No we discounted it because we had come to the conclusion that the only reasonable conclusion was that the accused lit the fire," then Detective Sergeant Riley said.
The jury heard that accelerant was used in a couple of the fires and that there were two ignition sources.
Mr Matthewson told then Detective Sergeant Riley that all the fires occurred within half an hour of his co-tenants on the property Jason and Jesse Cook leaving the property.
Mr Mathewson denied that the fires started near his shack saying that they had started up the hill.
The jury heard that the property was 14 kilometres from Fingal.
Become a digital subscriber today. Online you can view today's paper and keep up-to-date with breaking news. If you are able, please subscribe here. If you are already a subscriber, thank you for your support.
Nick Clark
I am the Supreme and Magistrates Court reporter for the Examiner for the past 18 months. My journalism career has clicked over 30 years and encompasses four different spells at Tasmanian newspapers.
I am the Supreme and Magistrates Court reporter for the Examiner for the past 18 months. My journalism career has clicked over 30 years and encompasses four different spells at Tasmanian newspapers.
