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A man who claims to be a member of the British royal family is accused of setting a Brisbane crime figure alight and trapping him in a room while he screamed in agony.
David Charles “Yankee” Edgerley, 34, is facing a committal hearing in Brisbane Magistrate Court on Tuesday charged with murdering underworld figure Victor Graveson in September 2017.
Mr Graveson, 65, was a convicted drug trafficker before he was set alight as he slept at his Alexandra Hills home.
Witness Bronwyn Hocking told the court she spotted the smoke and ran toward Mr Graveson’s home.
“I saw Yankee standing out the front at the front sliding door,” Ms Hocking told the hearing.
“I came through the gates, paused, and I saw what I saw.”
Ms Hocking said Edgerley was on the verandah, standing at Mr Graveson’s door and holding it closed with two hands.
“Victor was on the other side screaming – he was pulling at the door and the curtains and trying to get out.
“I hit Yankee with something, he turned and looked at me, and then ran off.
“I did not give him a second thought. It all happened very quickly.”
Mr Graveson suffered burns to 80 per cent of his body and was taken to hospital in a critical condition, but died later that day.
He had a lengthy criminal history, having been jailed for 10 years in 1996 for his role in the sale of a cannabis crop worth almost $2 million.
Ms Hocking and her partner Joshua Campbell were regulars at Mr Graveson’s home and told the court drug use was common there.
“It was well known that Victor sold drugs,” Mr Campbell said.
“Most people that were at Victor’s place used drugs or knew of people who used drugs.”
Several witnesses said Edgerley’s behaviour had been erratic in the weeks and months leading up to Mr Graveson’s death, including saying the Queen was his grandmother.
Witness Todd Sell told the court by telephone link that Edgerley told him he was the last surviving member of the British royal family.
“He said he was the last royal and I cracked up, I pissed myself laughing. He really believed that,” Mr Sell said.
“He goes ‘I am related to the royal family – I am the last royal’ and I was like ‘righto then’.”
The hearing before magistrate Noel Nunan continues.
Australian Associated Press
