Coles Bay arson accused granted bail in Launceston court

A man accused of a violent robbery and arson on Tasmania's east coast has been granted bail. Charlie Hills, 29, appeared in Launceston Magistrates Court and was released on a $10,000 surety with strict conditions.

Hills faces charges including attempted aggravated burglary, aggravated burglary, aggravated armed robbery, aggravated assault, arson, and motor vehicle stealing. He is one of three men accused of attacking 76-year-old Grant Whelan at his Coles Bay home on July 11. During the alleged incident, Whelan was reportedly tied up, his firearms were stolen, and his ute and house were destroyed.

His co-accused, Jason Byrnes, 33, and Hayden Morrison, 31, face the same charges, with an additional charge of breaching a family violence order. Hills's lawyer has indicated he will plead not guilty. This is the second bail application for Hills, who was previously denied.

The Tasmanian community has shown significant support for Whelan, raising over $100,000 in an online fundraiser and volunteering to help clear his property. Whelan was released from hospital on July 16. Police are still seeking information on the whereabouts of the stolen firearms, emphasizing the public safety threat they pose.

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Illegal firearms in the community pose a serious threat to public safety, and we remain determined, not just as part of this investigation … to locate and seize unlawful firearms.