A man accused of lighting five fires with a water pistol filled with petrol has been denied day bail to attend a friend's funeral.
Matthew Scott Hagan, 34, of Kambah, faced the ACT Magistrates Court on Thursday.
He previously pleaded not guilty to causing a bushfire, four counts of recklessly intentionally lighting an unauthorised fire, and six counts of leaving a fire without extinguishing it.
Hagan is yet to enter pleas to a series of family violence related charges.
A police document alleges about 4.40am in October, 2023, officers were told two men had attempted to enter a home in Isabella Plains before starting a small fire in a garden bed.
It is alleged officers found Aaron Booth nearby, who made admissions to having a hatchet and a knife and was arrested.
Later police claim to have found the smouldering remains of a fire "located on the extensive green space" than runs along Johnson Drive.
The fire was reportedly 20 metres by 10 metres in diameter.
The document states police officers were then notified of a fire being extinguished outside another home nearby and they saw a burnt TV cabinet.
ACT Fire and Rescue were also putting out another two fires in the area and claim to have seen a male matching the description of Hagan "legging it".
When Hagan was arrested shortly afterwards, three items allegedly fell out of his pocket: two batteries and a container filled with fluid.
He allegedly told police the liquid was mouthwash but police claim it, and Hagan himself, had a "strong smell of petrol".
When questioned about the smell, Hagan reportedly told officers he had been doing mechanical work on a motorcycle.
CCTV from the area allegedly shows Hagan carrying a water pistol, which he sprays onto the front lawn of homes before igniting the liquid with a lighter and leaving.
In court on Thursday, Legal Aid lawyer Jeremy Banwell applied for Hagan to be granted bail for one day to attend Booth's funeral.
Mr Banwell said Booth had recently died unexpectedly from a heart attack, aged 33, and he shared a "strong, important bond" with Hagan.
"[They were] a part of a group of four very close friends bordering on brothers," he stated.
'[Hagan is] the last surviving member of that group."
Mr Banwell said, if granted bail, Hagan would be in the company of his father and would travel directly to the cemetery, and hand himself back to the court before 4pm.
A prosecutor opposed this, saying Hagan had been on bail at the time of the alleged bushfire lighting.
Magistrate Jane Campbell denied bail and remanded Hagan to custody.
Hagan is set to return to court next week.
