A teacher accused of hatching a plot to torch his wife's car for the insurance money offered his then-best mate a Wii if he lit the fire, the prosecution says.
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But John Roberts Raadts' barrister has suggested his client's one-time friend, the man who set the car ablaze, only told police of Raadts' alleged involvement to dodge a jail sentence.
Raadts, 30, is on trial in the ACT Supreme Court accused of attempting to dishonestly obtained financial advantage - specifically insurance money - from insurer AAMI.
He's also accused of procuring Tony Andrew Streets to destroy his wife's Honda SRV by fire back in 2008.
Prosecutor Margaret Hunter, in her opening statement to the jury this morning, said Streets would tell the court he was repeatedly pressured by Raadts to torch the car for the insurance payout.
She said the jury would hear evidence, from Streets, that Raadts and his wife were in financial trouble at the time and that the man offered him a Wii to start the blaze.
But the accused man's lawyer, in his own address, said Streets only implicated his former friend the day before he was due to be sentenced in the Supreme Court.
Barrister Jack Pappas said the jury would hear evidence the sentencing judge gave him a lighter sentence because of his statement to police accusing Raadts.
The trial before Justice Hilary Penfold continues this afternoon.
