A man accused of burning and stabbing a screaming Canberra woman has admitted deliberately injuring the victim, but he denies he acted with intent to kill her.
Daryl Allan Robertson appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court on Friday afternoon, facing five charges.
He has been behind bars on remand since September last year, when passers-by called triple zero after hearing a woman screaming in her Charnwood backyard late at night.
Emergency services raced to the scene, where paramedics treated the woman for what police described as serious burns, stab wounds and lacerations.
Police officers arrested Robertson, who was then aged 52, a short time later.
When he faced court the next day, it was revealed he had allegedly used a lit aerosol can to burn the victim.
On Friday, defence lawyer Sam McLaughlin entered not guilty pleas on Robertson's behalf to charges of attempted murder and burglary.
Mr McLaughlin told the court Robertson had previously pleaded guilty to a charge of intentionally inflicting grievous bodily harm.
Robertson also pleaded guilty on Friday to a charge of attempting to contravene a family violence order.
Few details of this offence were given but it was committed in December 2022, by which time Robertson had been remanded in custody.
Prosecutor Beth Morrisroe withdrew the remaining charge, which had accused Robertson of committing an act endangering life.
Magistrate James Stewart ultimately committed Robertson to the ACT Supreme Court for trial on the charges he denied, and for sentence on those he admitted.
Robertson's case is now set to go before the superior court's registrar for an administrative hearing on March 30.
Having not applied for bail since his arrest, Mr Stewart told him he would remain remanded in custody in the meantime.
"No worries," Robertson replied as he was led out of the courtroom to begin the trip back to the Alexander Maconochie Centre.
Robertson is also set to face the lower court again in October in relation to a good behaviour order breach.
