Brisbane - An itinerant Australian fruitpicker was charged with two counts of murder and one of arson early today after a fire at a hostel in Queensland in which 15 backpackers died.
Mr Robert Long (37), of no fixed address, appeared before Bundaberg Magistrates Court charged with the murders of Western Australian twins Kellie and Stacey Slarke, 22, and arson. They were among four Australians, six Britons, one Irish national, two Dutch, one Korean and one Japanese who died in the fire at the Palace Backpackers Hostel in Childers, 300km north of Brisbane, in June.
Mr Long was remanded in custody for a further hearing on November 7th.