Comfy Kew Apartments hotel: Bow Whitford starts fire in foyer

A man who set fire to a Kew apartment-hotel after threatening to kill a staffer knew his actions were “outrageous” when drunk, a court has heard.

Whitford set fire to Comfy Kew Apartments.

A drunk who set fire to an apartment-hotel after threatening to kill an employee had a “solid history” of raging against members of the community, a court has heard.

Bow Whitford, 30, was sentenced to four months’ jail before Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Monday, December 11, having pleaded guilty to charges including reckless conduct without lawful excuse.

Whitford set fire to an electrical box in the foyer of Comfy Kew Apartments on Studley Park Rd, Kew, after 4pm on September 23.

He had just told an employee he was going to kill her after she refused to retract a decision to evict him from the short-stay accommodation.

Whitford then kicked and punched a door when she locked him out of the office, and screamed, “I’m going to burn the whole building”.

He then took a lighter to electrical cords in the foyer.

The flames caused extensive damage to the building’s electrical system before Whitford put them out with a fire extinguisher.

The court heard part of the incident, including smoke billowing from foyer, was caught on CCTV.

Police told the court Whitford had put numerous guests in the building at risk of serious injury or death when Whitford applied for bail on November 30.

Whitford told police he’d drank a bottle of vodka and smoked ice when he was arrested minutes after lighting the fire, and said he planned to return to the apartment-hotel upon his release.

He was refused bail, with Magistrate Andrew Capell ruling Whitford’s release could result in “catastrophic” damage.

On Monday Whitford’s lawyer said his client had long term alcohol issues and had returned to taking medication for his mental health while in jail.

Whitford told the court he was “sick of being homeless and drunk” and knew his behaviour was “outrageous” when he was drunk.

Magistrate Anthony Parsons noted Whitford had a “solid history” of taking out rage and anger on members of the community and warned him he could spend much longer in jail for future offending.

Mr Parsons said he expected Whitford would be released almost immediately, with Whitford having spent 111 days in jail under the more onerous conditions caused by COVID-19.