Swansea attempted murder, Police investigate two separate suspicious fires kilometres apart

A man has been charged with attempted murder following the wounding of a woman on the East Coast. LATEST >>

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Wounding, Swansea

Saturday, April 9

Update 6pm: A 52-year-old man has been charged with attemped murder following the wounding of a woman at Swansea overnight.

He is expected to appear before the Hobart Magistrates Court tomorrow.

Earlier 9am: A 50-year-old man has been taken into custody after a woman received serious injuries during a wounding incident in Swansea overnight.

Tasmania Police were called to a home on Spring Bay Road around 7:20pm last night to respond to the ‘isoalted incident’.

Officers are investigating the matter and has reassured locals there is no threat to the wider community.

Anyone with information in relation to he incident is urged to contact Bellerive CIB on 131444 or Crime Stoppers at crimestopperstas.com.au or on 1800 333 000. Information can be provided anonymously.

Two suspicious fires, Southern Tasmania

Saturday, April 9

Rubbish, squalour, and burnt belongings strewn on the floor are all that remain at 8 Wood Place Bridgewater which burnt down in a suspicious fire on Saturday morning.

The charred remains of childrens toys are scattered throughout the driveway, with grass and weeds over a metre tall sprouting in the backyard and out the front.

One nearby resident said the conditions at the house had been unsanitary before it burnt down in Sunday’s fire.

“The place is shocking. It’s got rats, birds, it’s had faeces on the beds, it was putrid. You wouldn’t let your cat or dog live in it,” he said.

“It’s been like this for a year, they’ve been living in it.”

Another resident said the tenants of that property had been evicted about one week ago and had been given notice to move.

They said the tenants often had large numbers of guests staying at their house for days and weeks at a time.

“There were heaps coming and going, probably up to 15 to 20 for a week or two,” they said.

“It’s been like this for a year, they’ve been living in it. You’d hear screaming at night. It was awful.”

A police spokesperson said emergency services were called to the house at around 2am on Saturday, and by the time firefighters arrived the house was fully engulfed.

The spokesperson said they were treating this fire as suspicious.

“Fire crews contained the fire to one room of the house, with extensive smoke damage throughout the rest of the house,” the spokesperson said.

“The house was vacant at the time of the fire, and no one was injured. Fire crews contained the fire.”

Investigators are also looking into another suspicious fire which struck the boat sheds at Fourth Avenue in Dodges Ferry on the foreshore.

At 8pm on Saturday emergency services were called to the scene, where they found two sheds fully engulfed in flames.

Police are encouraging anyone with information about either of these fires to come forward.

Information can be supplied anonymously to Tasmania Police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers at crimestopperstas.com.au or on 1800 333 000.

Firefighters are due to give the public an update on another house fire which broke out in Tasmania’s north.

At around midnight on Saturday crews from Burnie and Somerset were called to a vegetation fire at Old Surrey Road Emu Heights, but when they arrived they discovered it was a house fire.

Further information will be provided at a later time.

Man charged with attempted murder, Gagebrook

Friday, April 8

UPDATE 5pm: A 31-year-old man from Bridgewater has been charged with attempted murder and firearms offences in relation to an incident at Gagebrook overnight.

He will appear before the Hobart Magistrates Court tomorrow.

EARLIER: A person armed is on the run after a shooting in Gagebrook last night which left a man with serious injuries.

Just before midnight Tasmania Police were called to a home on Gage Road after reports that a firearm had been discharged inside the residence.

Upon arrival officers found that a 30-year-old man had been shot.

He was transported to the Royal Hobart Hospital in a serious but stable condition.

A police investigation is ongoing and following a specific line of enquiry to locate the offender.

“Understandably every firearms incident is concerning for police and the community,” said Inspector Troy Morrisby.

“I’d like to reassure the community this incident was isolated and between people known to each other; and there was no threat to the wider community.”

Anyone with information in relation to the incident is urged to contact Bridgewater CIB on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers at crimestopperstas.com.au or on 1800 333 000. Information can be provided anonymously.

Originally published as Swansea attempted murder, Police investigate two separate suspicious fires kilometres apart