16 February,2009 09:09 AM IST | | Agencies
A man charged with lighting one of Australia's deadly wildfires has not sought bail at a court hearing today.
The magistrate lifted a ban on naming the only person so far charged with arson in connection to hundreds of blazes that killed more than 180 people as they swept southern Victoria state on February 7. But he banned media from publishing photographs of the suspect or his address because of fears of reprisal attacks on him or his family.
Brendan Solaluk is charged with causing death by arson and lighting a wildfire in connection to a deadly blaze known as the Churchill fire. He is also charged with possessing child pornography. He faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison on the deadly arson charge, and 15 years for the second arson charge.
