Man in custody after woman screaming in backyard was found with burns, stab wounds

Daryl Allan Robertson, 52, has been remanded in custody after allegedly assaulting a woman in Charnwood. Photo: Michelle Kroll.

Police were called to a woman’s home after she was heard screaming in her backyard. She was found suffering from serious burns and stab wounds.

Daryl Allan Robertson, 52, was arrested a short time later and is accused of assaulting the woman on Wednesday (28 September), including using an aerosol can lit with a lighter in the alleged attack.

He was formally handed charges of intentionally inflicting grievous bodily harm and using an inflammable substance to endanger life when he appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court the next day.

Robertson, sporting an orange jumper covered in blue diamonds, answered “Yes, your honour” when asked if he understood the charges.

He made no application for bail and Magistrate Robert Cook remanded him in custody to 25 October to enter pleas.

ACT Policing originally said officers were called to the home in Charnwood at about 10:40 pm on Wednesday after passers-by had called Triple Zero and reported a woman being assaulted in the backyard.

The ACT Ambulance Service was also called to the scene and treated the woman for serious burns, stab wounds and lacerations before Robertson was arrested a short time later.