Neighbour from Hell Found Not Guilty of Setting Woman Ablaze in Vicious Melbourne Dispute
- Michael Gauci, 46, accused of pouring flammable liquid on Shari Grey and setting her on fire during a noise dispute in Werribee
- Gauci admitted to pouring liquid and firing a shot, but denied setting Grey alight, claiming it was an accident
- Grey suffered horrific burns to 80% of her body, while her friends also suffered injuries trying to put out the flames
In a shocking verdict, a Melbourne man accused of setting his neighbour on fire during a vicious dispute has been found not guilty of attempted murder. Michael Gauci, 46, was accused of pouring a bucket of flammable liquid on Shari Grey and igniting it, leaving her with horrific burns to 80% of her body.
However, Gauci claimed it was an accident, saying he only poured the liquid to break up a fight between Grey and his wife, and that the subsequent fire was likely caused by the muzzle flash from a gunshot he fired. The jury delivered its not guilty verdict on Tuesday afternoon, after hours of deliberation.
The incident occurred in December 2022, when Gauci’s wife confronted Grey and her friends over loud noise. The situation escalated, with Gauci pouring the liquid and firing the shot. Grey’s friends, Steve Pirangi and Stacey Morgan, suffered burns trying to put out the flames.
Crown prosecutor Angela Moran alleged that Gauci’s actions were deliberate and premeditated, saying he was enraged by Grey’s earlier interaction with his wife. “We say that his actions that night were carefully planned and that he knew exactly what he was doing,” she told the jury.
But defence barrister Dermot Dann KC argued that the prosecution’s case was weak, and that Gauci held no intention to kill. “It’s a case which attempts to paint a false picture of Gauci as this homicidal enraged man intent on murder,” he told the jury.
The verdict was met with emotional scenes in the courtroom, as Gauci’s family broke into sobs and hugged each other. Gauci will return to court on Friday to plead guilty to a single charge of possessing an unregistered firearm.