An Australian man has pleaded guilty to murder two years after he was accused of a horrific attack that ended with a neighbor being set on fire and killed.
On Wednesday, April 23, Stuart Lee, 65, admitted in the Supreme Court of Victoria that he murdered 66-year-old Colin Bainbridge in March 2023. The case has shocked Australia, with many still struggling to understand how things went so terribly wrong.
What Happened Before the Attack
Crown prosecutor Patrick Bourke KC explained that Bainbridge had been helping friends clear trees at a neighboring property in Wheatsheaf, Victoria. Stuart Lee and his wife Anita lived nearby.
On March 13, 2023, Bainbridge and his son Joshua started the tree-clearing work. They returned the next morning to finish the job. Less than 15 minutes after they arrived, Lee approached them and shouted at Bainbridge, telling him to “get the f— out of here or f— off back to Melbourne,” according to Joshua.
Joshua said his father calmly replied, “I just told him to f— off,” and then tried to ignore Lee, believing the situation would blow over.
Threats Made to Police
Before the attack, Lee made six calls to the police. In one call, he allegedly warned, “If you’re not coming, I’m going to go and murder my neighbors.” Despite these serious threats, no officers arrived in time.
Later that morning, Lee poured gasoline into a bucket in his shed, grabbed a lighter, and climbed over the fence to confront Bainbridge. He then threw the gasoline on him and set him on fire. Joshua tried desperately to put out the flames with a hose, but the damage was too severe.
Colin Bainbridge suffered burns to about 70–81% of his body and sadly died later that night at the hospital. Before his death, he told his son, “I can’t believe this bastard has done me in,” as Lee fled the scene.
Arrest and Court Proceedings
When police later arrested Lee, he was standing outside his house casually holding a cup of coffee. He told officers, “I threw petrol over the people and I lit him in flames.”
A forensic psychiatrist, Dr. Andrew Carroll, told the court that Lee suffers from a personality disorder that causes detachment, paranoia, and an unhealthy obsession with his neighbors. Carroll said Lee still feels “justified” in what he did and shows little guilt, even though he regrets that Bainbridge died.
The court also heard that Lee had made similar threats in the past. In 2020, he threatened to set another neighbor on fire during a separate conflict.
Lawyers Debate Lee’s Mental Health
Lee’s lawyer, Julia Munster, argued that his mental health problems should be considered when deciding his sentence. She claimed Lee irrationally believed that Bainbridge was threatening him with a chainsaw, even though there is no evidence this was true.
However, Prosecutor Bourke pointed out that Lee’s actions were planned, not out of sudden anger. He argued that Lee clearly had control over his actions, as he was able to prepare the gasoline, climb a fence, and carry out the attack.
Justice Andrew Tinney, who will decide Lee’s sentence, said that a life sentence was still a strong possibility. “His conduct was nothing at all to do with fear — it was everything to do with anger,” the judge said.