Trial begins for car repair businessman who denies starting $3m factory fire

A Brisbane businessman has been accused of starting a massive factory fire that caused almost $3 million to four businesses and sent thick plumes of smoke billowing across the city.

A Brisbane businessman has denied starting a massive factory fire that caused almost $3 million damage to four businesses and which sent thick plumes of smoke billowing across the city.

Scott Gregory Stirling, 41, of Ormiston, is facing trial in the Brisbane District Court after pleading not guilty to one charge of arson and four counts of endangering a property by fire.

The court heard yesterday that Queensland Fire and Emergency Services dispatched more than 170 firefighters and 24 trucks to fight the enormous blaze, which started in the car repair business All Bumpers and Headlights at Virginia on Sunday, September 24, 2017.

The blaze caused more than $1.3 million damage to four other Pritchard Road businesses including $653,000 to Best Friends Pet Store which had to evacuate animals.

Scott Stirling is on trial in the Brisbane District Court. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jono Searle

Officeworks Virginia also lost $1.5 million in trade, the court heard.

Prosecutor Brendan White said it was alleged that the fire was started by Mr Stirling, who was operating as the director of All Bumpers and Headlights after buying the business in 2015.

“It’s the Crown case that the defendant had the opportunity to start this fire as he was alone inside the building with his wife on the weekend the fire started,” Mr White said.

The court heard that by 2017, the business was facing financial hardship with $570,000 in debt including unpaid rent, wages and $200,000 which was owed to the Australian Taxation Office.

Mr White said a number of witnesses would be called throughout the trial including two men who will testify that Mr Stirling asked them to set fire to his business.

Defence Barrister Justin Greggery QC said the Crown had no eyewitnesses or CCTV footage to corroborate allegations and it was important that the jury understood there was no suggestion of insurance fraud.

Mr Greggery said the jury should “scratch below the surface” of the Crown’s circumstantial case and question if witnesses had “an axe to grind against Mr Stirling”.

The trial is being heard before Judge Orazio Rinaudo and is expected to last all week.