Warrnambool Supreme Court jurors watch video of police interview in attempted murder trial

Umit Gorgulu is on trial in the Warrnambool Supreme Court after pleading not guilty to the attempted murder of his 47-year-old housemate Kevin Taplin in Hamilton on April 18, 2019.

A video played to the jury on Monday showed Mr Gorgulu seated in a small interview room with two Portland police detectives in the hours after the alleged incident.

The accused man, who was wearing disposable coveralls and had bandaged hands, admitted to pouring petrol on the roof of Mr Taplin's vehicle in an attempt to stop him from driving.

Mr Gorgulu said he didn't intend to light the fire or to hurt or kill the victim.

"He is my friend; why would I hurt him?" he said in the video.

The pair had travelled from their home in Portland to collect the victim's motorbike in Hamilton.

The prosecution claims Mr Taplin was driving a utility in a residential street when Mr Gorgulu poured petrol on him and used a cigarette lighter to set him alight.

He underwent multiple operations following the incident and suffered prolonged respiratory failure, inhalation injuries, pneumonia and sepsis.

Mr Gorgulu's defence say he didn't intend to kill or cause serious injuries to the victim, but attempted to stop him from driving on drugs by pouring petrol on the car.

The recorded police interview was played to the jury during cross examination of the final witness in the trial, Portland police Detective Sergeant Jason von Tunk.

He told the court that a search of Mr Taplin's bag at the Hamilton Base Hospital in the hours after the incident uncovered a ziplock bag with about half a gram of methamphetamine.

The detective said a friend of the victim, Fiona Dunne, was subsequently convicted of selling the drug on the night of the alleged attempted murder. In a text message read to the court, Mr Taplin asked Ms Dunne in the hours before the incident if she could arrange "half... depending on price".

Ms Dunne told the court earlier in the trial that she didn't actually supply the drug and only pleaded guilty to the charge because she wanted to get it out of the way.

The jury is expected to hear closing addresses on Tuesday.

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