Boxing champ who was mentored by Jeff Fenech burnt down his father’s house just after his grandmother died
A former star boxer who was mentored by Jeff Fenech has admitted setting fire to his father’s house following his grandmother’s death.
Jamie Bogovic, 35, pleaded guilty in the County Court to arson, theft and trespass on Tuesday, and has been remanded in custody until May 17.
Fenech took Bogovic under his wing in 2015, with Australia’s greatest boxer impressed by the talent’s undefeated record of six wins and no defeats.
His motto was ‘train hard and win easy’ and there was the genuine belief that Bogovic had the makings of a world champion.
However, Bogovic’s pugilistic career fell apart when he started taking ice. He then went on a spree of criminal offending.
Jamie Bogovic has admitted to setting his father’s house on fire last year
Bogovic was once regarded as a bright boxing talent but his life went off the rails
The court is now looking at the Court Integrated Services Programme (CISP) to see whether there is other help available for the 35-year-old. accepting that jail and community corrections orders have failed to work in the past.
Bogovic was living at his father’s house in Narre Warren with Tony Levanic and Roy Levanic when he set it ablaze on the evening of April 22, 2023.
Bogovic was spotted in the kitchen earlier that same day in an anxious and agitated state by Tony Levanic after he learnt of his elderly grandmother’s death.
Later on, at 7.40pm, CCTV captured Bogovic walking towards the home and, once inside, he doused the living area with petrol and set it on fire before leaving the property.
A man called 000 roughly half an hour later, saying he witnessed Bogovic running on the street and hurdling fences of neighbouring properties.
Bogovic’s father and sister arrived to see the house on fire and the former boxer acting in an erratic manner.
Australian boxing great Jeff Fenech had taken Bogovic under his wing for a time
He told firefighters ‘let’s go, hurry up, the house is on fire. Pull the f***ing gate and go in.’
When told to calm down by a police officer or else he be handcuffed, Bogovic stood up and ran away.
Bogovic later returned to the scene at 3.45am the following day. CCTV captured him hiding behind shrubs as police carried out their investigation.
As a result of the blaze, the rear half of the house was seriously damaged, with most of the roof structure in the rear living room having collapsed.
He was also charged with theft and trespass in relation to him stealing bottles of Crown Lager from a neighbouring property’s outdoor fridge.
