Detective Senior Constable Elise Jinks told the court on Thursday that Tims drove to the factory, jumped over a fence with a red jerry can full of petrol and set it alight.
She alleged Thon, who was in the passenger seat, handed Tims the jerry can and said there was only one entry and exit point from the factory, where the two victims were sleeping.
About 50 firefighters with 12 trucks fought to contain the blaze.Credit: Nine News
The pair were going to be paid $4000 by a prisoner to carry out the arson, she said.
“They were tasked by someone who is in prison and we haven’t been able to identify who that is,” she said.
Jinks said the price was “relatively low considering two people lost their lives”.
Tims was recorded on a surveillance device inside his car in mid-July saying “it wasn’t supposed to happen, it was just a mistake, wrong place wrong time”, to his girlfriend, the detective told the court.
“I did everything, I drove, I lit it up, I stopped, I got out, I jumped a fence,” she said Tims was recorded saying.
“It’s for a job ... for a buddy.”
Jinks said she had spoken to the family of the two victims ahead of the bail applications.
“The family would be incredibly disappointed if both Mr Tims and Mr Thon were released back into the community, given they’re still grieving the loss of their family members,” she said.
Thon’s sister said he was a “quiet kid” who stayed in his room at home most of the time.
“Our main focus is that he finds the right thing he wants to do with his life,” she told the court.
She said if he was released on bail, he would live with her and the rest of their family, and she would report him to the police if he breached his conditions.
“He should do the right thing, he’s not just out there to enjoy and have fun, he needs to follow the law,” the sister said.
A youth justice worker said that while Thon was eligible for supervised bail, she had assessed him as unsuitable due to the serious nature of offending and negative peer associations.
The hearing continues.
AAP