A man charged over a car explosion outside the offices of the Australian Christian Lobby will plead not guilty to charges relating to the incident.
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The man did not appear at the ACT Magistrates Court on Wednesday to face charges of arson and property damage over the explosion of a carload of gas cylinders that tore through the ACL building.
His lawyer, Peter Woodhouse, said his client would enter the pleas on the grounds of mental impairment.
However, Mr Woodhouse said the man would not dispute that he caused the damage to the Eternity House building in Deakin in December.
Prosecutors asked the court to impose bail conditions but magistrate Robert Cook refused as the man was not present.
The 36-year-old Deakin man suffered serious burns in the incident and was flown to Sydney for treatment a day after walking five kilometres to Canberra Hospital in the wake of the late night explosion.
Tenants had to vacate the building after the explosion involving four nine-kilogram gas cylinders in a van but there was a delay in investigating due to the man's ongoing treatment for serious burns and a mental health condition.
The case was adjourned until August 16.
