Verdon Douglas Garlett pleads guilty to setting fire to Albany home while partner and children were inside

An Albany man has admitted to a horrific incident of domestic violence in which he set fire to a house while his partner and children were inside.

Verdon Douglas Garlett was initially charged with attempted murder after he broke into the Spencer Park residence, threw gasoline on the woman, then poured gasoline from a jerry can into the house before putting fire to the liquid.

But during an appearance at Stirling Gardens Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, prosecutor James MacTaggart revealed the State was dropping the attempted murder charge, with the 30-year-old agreeing to plead guilty to the lesser offense serious consisting of having the intention to cause harm by carrying out an act endangering. the life, health and safety of a person.

Garlett was out on bail at the time of the April 26 incident. He also pleaded guilty to breaching bail by committing the offence.

Police initially said they found Garlett inside the home with three children, all under the age of 11, and two adults.

Officers were called to the scene to attend a domestic violence incident.

After they arrived, Garlett poured fuel from a jerry can into the house before lighting the flammable liquid on fire.

He also became aggressive and threw gasoline at the victim.

The police managed to intervene and evacuate the occupants of the burning house. However, a police officer was forced to return to the smoke-filled house to save one of the children who was in another room.

Garlett will next appear in District Court in late December.