Kiwi accused of setting girlfriend on fire in court

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The New Zealander alleged to have set his girlfriend on fire in Perth has appeared in court.

Jonathan Pau'u, 22, was remanded in custody and will appear again in the Perth Magistrate's Court next week.

Pau'u, formerly of Auckland, is facing a charge of committing grievous bodily harm with intent.

His girlfriend, also a New Zealander, was left in hospital with serious burns to almost half her body.

Last week witnesses reported hearing yelling coming from a park near their home in the suburb of Gosnells before she started screaming and was seen running around with her clothes on fire.

A police spokesman told the Herald earlier it would be alleged Pau'u went to the park in Tay Court, Gosnells, to meet his girlfriend.

"He had earlier poured some petrol into water bottle at his address nearby. At the park they entered into heated argument and the accused poured the petrol over her and used an unknown ignition source to set her alight."

After she caught fire she dropped to the ground to extinguish the flames and then removed her clothes. She suffered burns to her face, chest and sides.

The spokesman said Pau'u received burns to his hands, face neck and hair, caused by the heat generated from the lighting of the petrol he allegedly poured on his girlfriend.