No bail for son arrested after elderly father died in house fire
A man charged with the murder of his father, who died in a house fire in Sydney’s inner west, allegedly threatened staff at a service station with a machete within minutes of the deadly blaze.
Police & Courts
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A man charged with the murder of his father, who died in a house fire in Sydney’s inner west, allegedly threatened staff at a service station with a machete within minutes of the deadly blaze.
Christopher Grantham, 50, will remain behind bars on remand after he did not apply for bail when he faced Gosford Local Court on Thursday morning.
The machete was allegedly found hidden in his pants when he was arrested on a train at Woy Woy the previous night, following a manhunt that began almost 16 hours when the Croydon fire killed his 80-year-old father, Ted, who played the organ at his local church.
The fire occurred on Irrara St shortly before 4am on Wednesday, about 20 minutes before police allege Christopher held up the service station on Parramatta Rd in Haberfield, stealing cigarettes.
He has been charged with murder, destroying or damaging property with intent to endanger life, and armed robbery.
His lawyer, Elias Tabchouri, told the court Christopher had a heart condition and a pacemaker.
He also told the court his client was in need of immunosuppressant medication and was also given panadol every six hours.
Speaking to media outside court, Mr Tabcouri said his client was doing as well as could be expected considering the situation.
Mr Tabchouri said it was still far too early to determine if his client was going to fight the charges.
“It has to be fully fleshed out and in time it will be crystallised and we will deal with it appropriately,” he said.
“It’s just about moving forward with the process and letting it all flesh out and once the evidence is all served, we will deal with it appropriately.”
Christopher is next due to face Burwood Local Court on July 30.
Superintendent Christine McDonald, the commander of the Burwood Police Area Command, said the fire and alleged robbery had shocked the local community.
“What we will allege is that the person responsible for deliberately lighting the house fire then made his way on foot to a service station in Haberfield, where he threatened staff with a machete and demanded cigarettes,” she said.
McDonald said a large-scale manhunt had been launched for Christopher after police made a public appeal for information on the 50-year-old, who was later tracked via public transport.
“He was cooperative when arrested and. thankfully, it ended peacefully,” Supt McDonald said.
“But he was still in possession of the machete, and it terrifies me to think what could have happened.
“I am extremely proud of the efforts of the police. It took determination, investigative skill and teamwork to locate that man in the same day that he (allegedly) committed a murder and an armed robbery.”
The senior officer said police believed an accelerant had been used to start the fire, and that investigators would continue to probe the family’s dynamics.
The fire caused extensive damage to the Granthams’ home, where Christopher lived with Ted and his mother Anne, who had left the property three hours before the blaze. There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by her.
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