Hostel arson suspect 'wanted fire escape left open'
A British tourist has told a court that the man accused of starting the Australian hostel fire asked her to leave open a fire escape so he could gain access on the night of the tragedy.
Lisa Duffy, 27, of Kent, made the claim in testimony given by telephone to Brisbane Magistrates Court, where prosecutors are presenting a summary of their evidence against Robert Paul Long.
Long, 37, is charged with arson and with murdering Australian twins Kelly and Stacey Slarke, 27.
The twins were among six backpackers from Britain, four from Australia, two from the Netherlands and one each from Ireland, South Korea and Japan who died.
Ms Duffy said Long told her he had lung cancer during a late-night conversation on June 23 last year - the day of the fatal fire. It was the first report that Long has cancer.
She said Long also told her of his dislike for Christian Atkinson, one of the managers of the Palace Hostel, and for an Asian backpacker staying there. News reports have said that Long, a fruit picker, had been banned from the hotel.
Ms Duffy said that as she went to bed, Long asked her to leave a fire escape open.
"He wanted to get into the building...to beat up (the Asian backpacker). He was pretty intent on getting in," Ms Duffy said. She did not say if she had left the exit open or not.
About 90 minutes after leaving Long, she woke up to someone banging on her door.
"When we got out of the door, everything was engulfed (in flames)", Ms Duffy said.
Long has not been required to enter a plea to the charges. He faces life imprisonment if convicted.
At the end of the committal hearing, which began Tuesday and is expected to last two weeks, magistrate Michael Halliday will decide whether there is enough evidence to send Long for trial.
