DETECTIVES have been granted more time to compile the evidence against the man accused of murdering a woman and child in a deadly Tamworth housefire, and attempting to kill two others.
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Richard George Sands did not appear in Tamworth Local Court on Wednesday when his four charges were mentioned.
Legal Aid solicitor Wendy McAuliffe said her client - who had been receiving treatment in hospital for burns suffered in the fire - did not need to appear onscreen in court.
"Mr Sands is in custody, but not required," magistrate Julie Soars confirmed.
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Sands is yet to enter pleas to two counts of murder, as well as two charges of the attempted murder of a woman and a young boy in the fire.
Police prosecutor Sergeant John Brissett said more time was needed to gather the evidence, and ensure all the items had been served.
"The brief is not compliant," he told the court.
Ms Soars noted the defence were not asking for the reasons for the brief service extension, but granted police until mid-April to serve the remaining items.
She adjourned the case to the end of April, after the defence consented to the timeline.
"Bail not applied for, refused [today]," she said.
"Hopefully it's able to proceed to the next stage [on the next occasion]."
Sands is yet to formally appear in court since the October fire in Hillvue. He was first denied bail a day after the fire at a closed bedside hearing in Tamworth hospital by Ms Soars, and hasn't appeared in court at his subsequent two case mentions in Tamworth court.
A court order remains in place prohibiting the identification of the woman and child who survived the fire, and the two deceased people.
The order was continued on Wednesday in court, at the request of the police prosecution.
Detectives allege Sands deliberately set fire to the home on October 17 just before dawn, killing a woman, whose body was found in the front bedroom, and a young boy, whose remains were found at the back of the house.
The second woman and child survived the fire and were rushed to hospital for burns. The woman was later airlifted to a specialist unit in Sydney, having suffered burns to almost 80 per cent of her body.
The boy was released from hospital in the days after the fire.
Sands was initially charged with two counts of murder of one woman and a child. The further attempted murder charges were laid in court in December, as a woman recovered in hospital from critical injuries suffered in the fire.
Breanna Chillingworth
Northern Daily Leader Senior Crime and Court Reporter
Northern Daily Leader Senior Crime and Court Reporter
