A former Perth basketball player who says he was not of sound mind when he allegedly murdered his partner, before telling his friend he had "crushed her skull", will face a judge-alone trial next month.
WARNING: This article contains details that some readers may find distressing.
Chudier Thowath Pal, 32, is accused of causing catastrophic head injuries to mother of five, Stephanie Lee Robinson, at a house in Doubleview, during an altercation sometime between the evening of January 1 and 6am on January 2, 2021.
The Supreme Court has been told the semi-professional player stands 206 centimetres-tall and is of athletic build while Ms Robinson was only 164 centimetres and of slim build.
It is alleged Mr Pal then went to a friend's house nearby and told them "I've killed her, I've crushed her skull" before returning to the residence, dousing a mattress in an accelerant and setting it on fire after placing it over Ms Robinson's body.
Security cameras captured him then walking down the street, carrying a blood stained doona, which he later disposed of in a bin.
Neighbours noticed smoke coming from the house and called emergency services who discovered Ms Robinson's badly burnt body.
Mr Pal turned himself in
The court was told later that day Mr Pal went to the Warwick Police station where he told a police operator he had killed a person.
He was then arrested and taken to Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital for treatment for minor burns.
Mr Pal was later transferred to the secure unit at Graylands psychiatric hospital where he has been held ever since.
In November last year he pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and arson on the grounds of "unsoundness of mind".
In a decision to grant him a judge alone trial, Justice Joseph McGrath said it was expected that the only evidence to be called at the trial would be from expert witnesses who will testify about Mr Pal's psychiatric conditions.
Mental impairment a factor: psychiatrists
Justice McGrath said one psychiatrist's report had expressed the opinion that at the time of the alleged murder, Mr Pal had a mental impairment that deprived him of the capacity to control his actions and to know that he ought not do what he did.
Another psychiatrist found he was suffering an untreated major mental illness at the time and that it had acutely impaired his mental state and his judgement.
Justice McGrath said as there was no issue to be resolved at the trial which would require a jury to consider "objective community standards", it was in the interests of justice for the matter to be determined by a judge sitting alone without a jury.
While Mr Pal is currently considered "fit to plead" to the charges against him, he is due to appear in court again at the end of the month to determine if there has been a change in his circumstances.
