Three teenagers face court after arson attack destroys Adelaide bar
Three teenagers have faced court over arson charges after fire ripped through an Adelaide bar.
A 14-year-old boy, a 17-year-old boy and a 19-year-old man faced court, charged with aggravated serious criminal trespass, illegal use and two counts of arson.
It took around 50 minutes to control the blaze at Bar38 on Greenhill Road at Glenside around 3am on Sunday.
The business, owned by the brother of former Love Island winner Claudia Bonifazio was completely destroyed.
Lloyd Brenton Wilson, the older of the three accused faced Adelaide Magistrates Court via video link and made no application for bail. He will return to court in November for a charge determination.
The two other boys appeared in the Youth Court by video, with defence lawyers asking for bail and noting that identification would be an issue in this case.
Both boys have ongoing, unrelated, matters already before the Youth Court.
The judge will consider whether home detention is suitable.
Two more offenders are under investigation, with CCTV footage showing a group of boys wearing distinctive clothing and one holding a jerry can.
A stolen Subaru Impreza has been linked to the arson attack. It was torched a short time after the incident.
Bar38 said future bookings were cancelled until further notice.
"It's with a mix of emotions that we let you know that Bar38 has unfortunately closed its doors due to a recent arson attack," the venue stated on social media.
"This has been a challenging time for all of us, as everything we've worked so hard for over the last 3.5 years has been lost in the fire."
Bonifazio said her brother was devastated.
"He has put his heart, soul, sweat and tears and certainly a lot of money into this business," she said.
The bar was not covered by insurance.
"The insurance ran out a few months ago and they were too busy to even think about insurance," she posted.
Jonathan Jackson, 22nd August 2023
