Trevor Grembecki, 47, was on bail at the time and started his alleged crime spree in Maryborough where he is accused of using a slingshot to fling a bolt at the window of a bank on September 28, 2021.

He allegedly sent text messages to a friend that he had committed the offence and had prepared a plan for his 'death by police'.

The court heard Grembecki allegedly went to the property of a woman in Wendouree who had previously let him live there and gained entry through an open back door.

Police allege Grembecki put oil and fish in a frypan on the stove and left the premises, with a can of diesel at the back door, intending to start a fire.

The fire caused more than $30,000 damage to the property, spreading in the kitchen and into the roof.

The court heard Grembecki drove to the property of a family member in Amphitheatre, allegedly poured fuel into the front room and set the structure alight.

The owner of the Wendouree property returned home to find her kitchen had been burnt and there was a hole in the roof.

She went to the police station and returned with police officers to the home, who saw Grembecki driving nearby.

Officers attempted to intercept him, but he continued driving and allegedly threw bricks out his car window towards the police vehicle.

The pursuit was terminated, Grembecki drove to Melbourne and allegedly stole $98 worth of fuel before sending text messages saying he had burnt down two properties to a family member.

Police found him at a Wendouree property and he was arrested.

Grembecki said he was 'pretty drunk' at the time and was drinking Cointreau while driving his vehicle around, but said he knew what he was doing.

A defence lawyer said Grembecki had psychiatric issues and needed to be released on bail to go to a psychiatric facility.

She said he would live with his family in Mildura once he was stabilised and released from the medical facility.

The lawyer said this would be different to previous occasions on bail because in the past he had relied on either the victim or the Court Integrated Services program for monitoring, rather than a family member.

She said his mental health was deteriorating in custody and he was not receiving the treatment he should be.

"There is a very real possibility of a mental impairment defence in this case. We could be looking at a very long stint of him in custody while awaiting an outcome," she said.

The police informant said Grembecki was an unacceptable risk to members of the public and police.

"He had a bow and arrow in his possession at the time of the arrest. He set fire to two properties in one afternoon and evaded police," he said.

Magistrate Hugh Radford adjourned the case to next week when more evidence can be provided to the court.

"I am greatly concerned about the risk to the public," he said.

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