Hassan Boru pleads guilty over Brunswick BWS arson incident

An arsonist who set a bottle-shop ablaze will have to endure a lengthy wait to find out his punishment.

Hassan Boru faced the County Court of Victoria over a charges relating to a incident earlier this year at BWS. (AAP Image/James Ross)

An arsonist who set a bottle-shop ablaze will have to wait until next year to learn his fate.

Hassan Boru, faced the Victorian County Court after setting a fire in Brunswick BWS in February.

The 35-year-old Brunswick man pleaded guilty to all charges including arson, indictment while on bail and wilful damage of police gear.

While appearing at the Brunswick police station on February 3 as part of his bail conditions, Boru smashed a plastic screen before leaving. Later that day, Boru went to the Brunswick BWS on Albert St and set a fire inside the shop using gasoline and a cigarette lighter.

The store manager was able to evacuate all staff and customers and no one was injured while firefighters and police attended the scene.

The court heard the damage to the BWS store and Woolworths was estimated to be worth more than $400,000. Boru was later arrested at home in Brunswick.

The court also heard from a victim impact statement from Cheryl Smith, read by prosecution’s Phil Raimondo, she had been left with nightmares and unable to sleep after witnessing the incident.

Boru’s defence submitted Boru’s early guilty plea should allow for a discounted sentence and long-term mental health condition needed to be factored in.

The defence argued while the act was “serious” it lacked “several hallmarks” of more serious acts of arson.

It was also submitted Boru’s long-term schizophrenia condition, which he has battled for more than a decade, and cannabis use could have factored into his actions.

Judge Gregory Lyon stood the matter down until February 14, 2023 for a further plea hearing to allow for a community corrections assessment to be undertaken.

Boru will be remanded until returning to the County Court next year.