Hotel owner charged with attempted fraud and arson

The owner of the gutted Premier Hotel has been charged with attempted fraud and arson.

Albany detectives arrested hotel licensee Graeme Cooper yesterday and charged him late last night with attempted fraud, criminal damage by fire and endangering the life, health and safety of a person.

Mr Cooper is the third person to be charged by detectives after Mandurah men Karl Hutchinson, 30 and Christopher Lyndon Paterson, 29, were remanded in custody yesterday after briefly appearing in court in Perth.

Mr Cooper, who bought the 125-year-old pub in October with business partner Rumeena Nizam, remains in custody before he appears in Perth Magistrates Court today.

Another 34-year-old man has also been charged with attempted fraud, criminal damage by fire and endangering the life, health and safety of a person and will appear in Perth court today.

Albany detectives allege Mr Cooper was the “mastermind” of the plan to burn down the historic pub where he would benefit from an insurance payout after the fire on May 13 caused approximately $2,000,000 damage.

Accomplices Mr Hutchinson and Mr Paterson, who police allege were captured on CCTV detaining Mr Cooper in a staged robbery, will reappear in court on September 7.

Detectives have ruled out Ms Nizam as a suspect in the investigation.

Inquiries are continuing.