- Jamie Bogovic admits setting fire to his father’s house
- The former boxer was anxious after the death of his grandmother.
- Bogovic, 35, was previously mentored by Jeff Fenech.
A former star boxer who was mentored by Jeff Fenech has admitted setting fire to his father’s house after the death of his grandmother.
Jamie Bogovic, 35, pleaded guilty in the County Court to arson, robbery and burglary on Tuesday, and will remain in custody until May 17.
Fenech took Bogovic under his wing in 2015, and Australia’s top boxer was impressed by the talent’s unbeaten record of six wins and no losses.
His motto was “train hard and win easy” and there was a genuine belief that Bogovic had the makings of a world champion.
However, Bogovic’s boxing career fell apart when he started taking ice. He then embarked on a criminal crime spree.
Jamie Bogovic admits setting fire to his father’s house last year
Bogovic was once considered a brilliant boxing talent, but his life went off the rails.
The court is now looking at the Court Integrated Services Program (CISP) to see if there is other help available to the 35-year-old. accept that jail orders and community corrections have not worked in the past.
Bogovic was living in his father’s house in Narre Warren with Tony Levanic and Roy Levanic when he set it on fire on the night of April 22, 2023.
Bogovic was seen in the kitchen later that day in an anxious and agitated state by Tony Levanic after learning of the death of his elderly grandmother.
Later, at 7.40pm, CCTV captured Bogovic walking towards the house and, once inside, he doused the living area with petrol and set it on fire before leaving the property.
A man called 000 about half an hour later and said he saw Bogovic run down the street and jump fences on neighboring properties.
Bogovic’s father and sister arrived to see the house on fire and the former boxer acting erratically.
Australian boxing great Jeff Fenech had taken Bogovic under his wing for a time.
He told the firefighters ‘let’s go, hurry up, the house is on fire’. She pulls the damn door and goes inside.
When a police officer told him to calm down or be handcuffed, Bogovic got up and ran.
Bogovic returned to the scene at 3:45 a.m. the next day. CCTV captured him hiding behind some bushes as police carried out their investigation.
As a result of the fire, the back half of the house was severely damaged and most of the roof structure in the rear living room collapsed.
He was also charged with theft and burglary in relation to the theft of Crown Lager bottles from the outside fridge of a neighboring property.