Toowoomba man Chris Grosser sentenced for attempted murder and arson in Brisbane Supreme Court

After viciously stabbing the woman he was meant to love, a Toowoomba man left her bleeding to death as their house went up in flames.

39-year-old Christopher Mark Grosser pleaded guilty before Brisbane Supreme Court on Wednesday to attempted murder and arson. Picture: File

The man who attacked his defacto partner and left her bleeding out as he lit a fire around her has pleaded guilty.

Christopher Mark Grosser, 39, pleaded guilty before Brisbane Supreme Court on Wednesday to the attempted murder of his then-partner and wilfully burning down their Quinlan Court while she lay injured on the garage floor.

Crown prosecutor Nicole Friedewald told the court the woman had little memory of the February 2021 incident but remembered lying, wounded on the floor.

“The defendant had used a knife to stab the complainant four times to the stomach and chest intending to kill her,” Ms Friedewald said.

“She does recall the defendant standing above her, she recalls telling him to stop and she recalls watching him walk away.

Neighbours reported hearing Grosser yell “see what you made me f***ing do” during the struggle, prompting multiple calls to emergency services.

“One of the neighbours saw the defendant briefly approach the fuel tank of a car parked in the driveway before quickly returning to the garage and shutting the door,” Ms Friedewald said.

“Flames could be seen within the garage at this time.”

“(The victim) noticed a small fire in that same room, the garage of the house, and she managed to get herself off the floor and press the internal garage door button to get out.”

The woman rushed to the help of neighbours and was later transported to hospital for emergency surgery where she remained for eight days.

The court heard the fire caused severe damage to much of the garage, kitchen, living area, external patio and laundry charred beyond repair and smoke and water damage throughout the entire house.

In her victim impact statement, the woman told the court she was no longer the trusting, upbeat person she once was.

“Since experiencing these crimes I am a different person, my life has been completely destabilised,” it read.

“I’m constantly on edge … I’ve developed intense trust issues.

“These crimes have stopped me from pursuing anything new or enriching as I am solely focused on processing what has occurred.”

Grosser was found roughly two hours after the attack in such a state that police believed him dead.

He was discovered with three wounds to his chest and severe burns on his upper body and hands; later doctor’s uncovered irreparable damage to his oesophagus either from a consuming corrosive substance or inhaling the fire’s fumes.

While unable to speak after the incident, he murmured to paramedics the wounds were self-inflicted.

Two days before the attack, Grosser attempted suicide but was saved by his partner.

That same day he beat her with a guitar, leaving bruising all over her body.

Barrister Jessica Goldie instructed by Legal Aid Queensland told the court Grosser had a long history of depression and suicidal thoughts, made worse by his use of methamphetamines.

“It was a combination of drug use, the instability in his life … which increased his depression, increased his drug use and led to multiple attempted suicides since 2018,” she said.

“He really was quite unstable at the time.”

Grosser was on parole at the time of the attack for a previous dangerous driving charge which he claimed was another attempt on his life.

Ms Goldie argued a lengthy prison sentence would unduly punish Grosser due to his extensive medical conditions and need for specialised care.

While prison officials advised the court Grosser’s medical needs could be accommodated, he would not be provided a personal carer and would need to rely on a trained prisoner.

“A prisoner who might receive some training to be a carer in the prison is not going to be the same level of care as an actual qualified carer in the community,” Ms Goldie argued.

“In this year alone he has been admitted to hospital four times and presented at hospital multiple times.

Justice Peter Callaghan accepted Grosser’s chronic conditions would make prison significantly more difficult and ruled a parole eligibility be set four years into his time in prison.

Grosser was sentenced to nine years imprisonment for the attempted murder and five years imprisonment for the arson, to be served cumulatively, with 107 days of presentence custody declared time served.

He will further serve the remaining 27 days on his paroled sentence for dangerous operation of a vehicle.

He will be eligible for parole on September 1, 2028.

Originally published as Toowoomba man Chris Grosser sentenced for attempted murder and arson in Brisbane Supreme Court