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Gran accused of trying to burn boys alive

A Qld grandmother will face trial for allegedly trying to murder her step-grandsons by torching their room and holding the door closed.

Police tape outside a home
A Qld grandmother accused of trying to kill her step-grandsons has been committed to stand trial. (AAP)

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Source: AAP


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A grandmother accused of trying to kill her step-grandsons in a house fire north of Brisbane has been committed to stand trial.

Detectives allege the 59-year-old, who can't be named for legal reasons, held the door closed after setting fire to the bedroom of two brothers, aged 9 and 11, at Morayfield, north of Brisbane, in early 2014.

The boys managed to escape the fire but one suffered burns to his lower legs.

The woman appeared in the Caboolture Magistrates Court on Tuesday, where she was committed to stand trial on four attempted murder charges and one count each of attempted arson and interfering with a corpse.

Two of the attempted murder charges stem from alleged incidents unrelated to the fire.

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Police allege that on two separate occasions the woman tried to kill one of the boys.

The interfering with a corpse charge relates to the death of a seven-month-old baby from the same family in September 2014.

Outside the court, the woman's lawyer Michael Bosscher told reporters that his client was "content" with the way the case was progressing.

"(She's) very pleased that the matter is under way and looking forward to getting a date for a trial," he said.

"The whole matter has been very confronting (for my client). As to what the director (of public prosecutions) decides to indict upon, we'll just have to wait and see."

No date has been set for the trial, but prosecutors have three months to hand up an indictment.

The woman has not entered a plea but Mr Bosscher indicated she would likely plead not guilty.


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