Former star boxer and arsonist Jamie Bogovic fronts court

Trained by Aussie boxing great Jeff Fenech, a former champion pugilist burnt down his father’s house as news of his grandmother’s death came to light.

Former star boxer Jamie Bogovic is deemed a risk to be released in the community, given his untreated mental health.

A former star boxer who burnt down his father’s house will have to wait a little longer to find out if he will be released back into the community.

A report by the Court Integrated Services Programme (CISP) stated there were mental health concerns about Jamie Bogovic as well as drug and alcohol issues.

Bogovic, who was mentored by one of Australia’s greatest fighters in Jeff Fenech, set fire to his father’s Narre Warren house on the evening of April 22, 2023 while his family was grieving the loss of his elderly grandmother.

He pleaded guilty in the County Court in April to charges of arson and theft and was remanded in custody to determine what other help was available for him as jail and community corrections orders have not worked in the past.

His untreated mental health and the length of time he’s spent in custody are the main issues the court will take into consideration during sentencing.

Jamie Bogovic at training during his prime days as a boxer.

Bogovic appeared via video link on Thursday and CISP report authors have told Judge Kellie Blair that mental health experts would not get involved unless Bogovic had accommodation.

Judge Blair suggested a programme called Mental Health Transition Support which has worked with a defendant in a case she presided over.

She said potentially, mental health treatment for Bogovic could start in custody under MHTS with help from CISP.

Bogivic’s lawyer David Dewitt said his client’s calls the past year to see a counsellor or a psychiatric nurse have fallen on deaf ears.

Mr Dewitt said Bogovic’s concern was for his long-term treatment and that he was being kept in a unit with limited treatment, education and socialising.

He has already spent 390 days in custody and his prolonged isolation was affecting his mental health, Mr Dewitt said.

Prosecutor Briana Goding said the Crown had no objections to Bogovic receiving treatment for his mental health but said jail with a minimum non parole was within the court’s range.

Roy Levanic at the back of the house which was set on fire by Jamie Bogovic.

Judge Blair said while she was concerned about Bogovic’s long-term rehabilitation, the help he needed did not materialise overnight.

“The court wants to give you the best chance at success, to establish yourself and function well in the community,” she told Bogovic.

Bogovic was remanded in custody until June 11.

The fire he lit extensively damaged the rear half of the house, most of the roof structure in the rear living room had collapsed. Bogovic was hand-picked by Fenech in 2015 and, at that point, the former had won all of his six bouts.

His ring motto was “train hard and win easy” and believed he had the makings of a world champion during his prime.

But his career crashed when, during a break from training, he started using ice and what followed was a string of criminal offending.