A man accused of trying to kill his wife by setting their home on fire is to be released from custody, a High Court judge has ruled.
Josemon Sasi (29) faces a charge of attempting to murder the woman at the house on Oaktree Drive in Antrim.
Mr Justice McFarland granted the supermarket warehouse operative’s application for bail after being told the alleged victim insists the blaze was her fault.
Sasi is also accused of a domestic abuse offence in connection with the incident on September 26.
Firefighters initially responded to the emergency at the couple’s home before contacting the Ambulance Service to attend the scene.
An initial report at the time suggested a male had poured petrol or kerosene around the building and ignited it, causing an explosion.
But the court was told on Wednesday that subsequent formal statements do not confirm a man actually doused the premises in flammable liquids.
Sasi’s wife was taken to hospital to be treated for burns on her body.
Prosecuting counsel Sarah Minford said: “She made a statement that what happened was her fault, that she caused the flames and the ignition.
“She told police that she had been transferring oil from one container to another, and in order to see if it was flammable she put a lighter to it and her clothes went up in flames.”
Sasi came to his wife’s aid by helping to remove her pyjamas and running water over her hair in the kitchen sink, according to her account.
He then phoned for an ambulance and put her in a shower.
With a neighbour claiming to have heard arguing at the house, Ms Minford said detectives still have doubts over her version of events.
Asked for the evidence to support the charge, she confirmed that it was a circumstantial case.
“Police believe it was the applicant who set fire to the home with his partner inside,” the barrister submitted.
“There was kerosene over and around the kitchen, along the hall and up the front door that would require direct ignition.”
She added: “The Ambulance Service didn’t observe any singe marks on (Sasi), which you would expect if someone tried to extinguish a person on fire.”
Mr Justice McFarland was told the alleged victim has remained in constant contact with her husband since his remand into custody, insisting that she needs to be with him.
Lawyers for Sasi have argued there is no statement of complaint to support an attempted murder charge based only on suspicion.
They stressed how his wife provided an explanation that he tried to help her after the fire broke out by accident.
Granting bail to the defendant based on potential delays, the judge observed: “It is a very modest (prosecution) case at this stage.
“The likelihood of it proceeding to an attempted murder conclusion is, I have to say, remote or unlikely.”
He ordered Sasi ordered to live under curfew at an address in Co Tyrone, imposing prohibitions on contacting his wife or entering Antrim town.