Evicted tenant firebombed house, tried to mow down housemates, court told

A Melbourne woman who allegedly set fire to her share house and torched her housemates’ cars has lost her bid to have her case heard in a lower court because the crimes are deemed too serious.

Tsai-Wei Hung is accused of torching her housemate’s cars in a revenge plot. Picture: Facebook

A housemate from hell who allegedly firebombed her Melbourne share house, torched her cotenants’ cars and tried to run them down has been told her crimes are too serious to be dealt with in a lower court.

Tsai-Wei Hung, 32, is facing more than a dozen charges after she allegedly waged a months-long retribution campaign against her housemates following her eviction from their Clyde North rental amid a bitter dispute.

Magistrate Tim Schocker on Thursday refused Ms Hung’s application to have her case heard in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court where she would face a lesser sentence if convicted.

“The most powerful factor against the application is the nature and seriousness of the offence, which, in my view, are genuinely serious and are beyond that which are ordinarily dealt with by this court,” he said.

Ms Hung’s case will instead be heard in the County Court.

Barrister David De Witt, for Ms Hung, earlier said his client intended to plead guilty though there were issues in dispute which needed to be litigated.

One of the destroyed cars. Picture: Facebook

Footage played to court on Tuesday allegedly showed Ms Hung striking bollards as she tried to run her housemates over, pouring petrol over their vehicles before setting them ablaze and lobbing molotov cocktails at the front door.

The court heard Ms Hung, who is reportedly from Taiwan and on a working holiday visa, sought revenge after she was kicked out of the Viewbank Rd property on March 10.

Hours after her eviction, Ms Hung allegedly returned and egged the garage before she tried to mow her housemates down with her car when they confronted her.

Shocking mobile phone footage filmed by one of the housemates shows a vehicle driving at speed down a narrow laneway before smashing through bollards and continuing to chase them across a lawn.

The court heard the housemates sought refuge inside before Ms Hung rammed the garage door, causing serious damage to both the door and vehicles parked inside.

The following afternoon, Ms Hung allegedly returned, gaining access to the garage via the damaged door before she smashed the cars’ windscreens.

Ms Hung went to police later that day where she made serious abuse allegations against her housemates, including that she had been strangled and beaten up.

Asked why she had driven at them, Ms Hung allegedly told police she was not going fast.

“I was just trying to scare them,” she allegedly said.

Tsai-Wei Hung is facing more than a dozen charges. Picture: Eyewatch Casey Police Service Area

She was charged and bailed, with police also obtaining personal safety intervention orders banning Ms Hung from going near or communicating with her ex-housemates.

An arrest warrant was later issued after she failed to attend court.

About 3am on June 10, Ms Hung allegedly returned to the property and torched her housemates’ cars and threw molotov cocktails at the front door.

“She’s back, she’s back,” her housemates yelled after they were woken by explosions, the court heard.

Security footage captured both incidents, depicting two vehicles going up in flames and a dark hooded figure lobbing the incendiary weapons at the front door.

The next day, Ms Hung allegedly sent a message demanding $30,000 for the violence to stop, with more molotov cocktails found at her home after her arrest.

It’s alleged she went to another property in Berwick on June 12, where she tried to light the home on fire while yelling “just go die” and “go to hell”.

Ms Hung is also facing charges for allegedly selling a rental car to an unsuspecting Facebook buyer for $8900.

Details about Ms Hung’s alleged offending were aired as she applied to have her case heard in the lower court where she would face a lesser sentence if convicted.

She is facing more than a dozen charges including arson, property damage and reckless conduct endangering serious injury.

Prosecutor David Gray opposed the application, saying the offending was far too serious to be dealt with in the lower court.

“What it shows is a grievance which has festered and gone on for an inordinate amount of time,” he said.

Defence lawyer David De Witt said the characterisation of his client’s alleged offending as a “festering desire for revenge” failed to take into account the alleged abuse she had suffered which was being investigated by police.

Ms Hung, who has been on remand since her arrest in June, will return to court next week.

Originally published as Evicted tenant firebombed house, tried to mow down housemates, court told