The only man charged with lighting one of Australia's deadly wildfires that killed at least 189 people did not appear in the court fearing for his safety.
The only man charged with lighting one of Australia's deadly wildfires that killed at least 189 people did not appear in the court on Monday fearing for his safety as it lifted a ban on publication of his name.
Brendan Sokaluk was due to appear in the Melbourne Magistrate's Court on Monday morning but chose to remain in custody and not be in court due to fears for his safety, The Australian reported.
The 39-year-old has been charged with arson causing death and lighting a wildfire in connection to one of hundreds of blazes that swept southern Victoria state on February 7, killing 189 people and gutting almost 2,000 homes.
Magistrate Jon Klestadt said a suppression order on Sokaluk's identity would have little practical effect as his identity would probably already be known in his community, the daily said.
However, Klestadt banned media from publishing photographs of the suspect or his address because of fears of reprisal attacks on him or his family.
Earlier, Sokaluk's lawyer Helen Spowart, who did not enter a bail plea on his client's behalf, told the court her client and his family were at risk because of the level of community anger over the deadly bushfires.
The court initially banned the naming of Sokaluk for fear that he or his family could be targeted.
"This extraordinary case and the level of emotion and anger and disgust at these offences that have been aroused in the community is unprecedented," Spowart told the court.
Sokaluk, who has not sought bail at the court hearing, was remanded to reappear in court on May 26.
He faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison if convicted of arson causing death. He is also charged with possessing child pornography, a crime that carries a maximum five-year sentence.
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