Stuart Lee, a former Army reservist has been sentenced to 35 years in prison for the murder of his neighbour, Colin Bainbridge, who was doused in petrol and set alight during a dispute in Wheatsheaf.
Lee, 65, pleaded guilty in the Supreme Court of Victoria to the murder of Bainbridge, 66, on March 14, 2023. The court heard that Bainbridge was helping his son Joshua fell trees at a Wheatsheaf property when an altercation occurred.
When Lee’s subsequent calls to police went unanswered, Lee retrieved a bucket, filled it with petrol, poured it on Bainbridge and set him alight. After the attack, Lee returned home and called police, stating he had an “altercation” with his neighbour. He maintained to officers that he acted in self-defence.
Bainbridge suffered burns to more than 80 per cent of his body and later died after being airlifted to the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne.
Local members of the CFA and SES who attended the incident were seriously traumatised by the scene that confronted them.
Supreme Court Justice Andrew Tinney rejected claims that Lee had acted in self-defence or under the influence of psychosis. While he acknowledged that Lee had a personality disorder, he concluded that Lee’s actions were fuelled by resentment and rage, not fear. He dismissed Lee’s claim that Bainbridge had previously threatened him with a chainsaw, finding no evidence to support the allegation.
In sentencing Lee to 35 years imprisonment, Justice Tinney said Lee’s lack of remorse and the devastating impact on the Bainbridge family warranted a lengthy sentence. Lee has already served more than two years in custody and will be eligible for parole after serving 27 years.
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