1.00pm - By KATHY MARKS in Sydney
Four teenagers filmed themselves as they set fire to a homeless man sleeping rough in a park in the Australian state of Victoria, a court heard yesterday.
Arthur Burrows, 66, was found burnt to death under a peppercorn tree in the town of
Mildura last November.
Melbourne Children's Court was told that the boys watched a video of the alleged killing after returning home.
Police arrived to find the tree ablaze and Mr Burrows lying face down on a mattress. He had been living in a makeshift hut, complete with an armchair and two pieces of carpet.
Three boys - two aged 16 and one of 15 - have been charged with murder. They have not entered a plea. The fourth, 18, has been committed to stand trial in the Victorian Supreme Court.
A friend testified yesterday that she watched the video at one of their homes that night. Another witness said the boys realised they were in trouble. One told her he had destroyed the video, she said. They were all "sombre and quiet", claiming the fire had been an accident and they had just been "mucking around".
The witness said one of the 16-year-olds reportedly tried to slit his wrists after the fire.
An earlier court hearing was told the incident was inspired by an American video called Bumfights, which depicted homeless people being paid to beat each other up.
Mr Burrows, a former miner and railway worker, was crippled and could only walk on crutches.
Police say the four went to his hut with a video camera and a shoe box full of stolen cakes. They tried to force-feed him the cakes, but he hid under his blankets, pretending to be asleep. After the fire, they concocted a story in case they were interviewed by police.
- INDEPENDENT
