A man accused of murdering his wife by dousing her in petrol and setting her on fire said it was his right to hit her if he wanted, a court heard.
Kulwinder Singh allegedly murdered his 32-year-old wife Parwinder Kaur - who suffered burns to 90 per cent of her body - at their home in December 2013.
Ms Kaur's brother told a court he stopped Singh from assaulting her during a row that erupted because she wanted to put some of her pay in her own bank account.
Singh, 41, allegedly told his brother-in-law to stay out of it and it was his right "if he wanted to hit her or do whatever he wanted to her".
The husband has pleaded not guilty to murdering his wife in suburban Sydney, Australia.
The trial has been shown a number of videos showing him breaking down in police interviews, including one where he tearfully denied killing her and reenacted his wife's harrowing screams.
Ms Kaur's brother, Sukhvinder Singh, broke down in tears as he told jurors his sister "was the strongest amongst our family".
He said the row happened about a year before the alleged murder.
He said his sister and brother-in-law were arguing about her wanting to put some of her pay in her own bank account when Singh raised his hand and was about to hit her.
Sukhvinder Singh told the jury: "I said, 'No, you cannot do this. This is my house'."
He claims his brother-in-law told him not to interfere and he could hit his wife if he wanted to.
Sukhvinder Singh said he told his brother-in-law to leave.
He added: "He said to me, 'I will fix you up and get you thrown out of Australia'."
Ms Kaur had made plans to leave her husband, the court has heard.
Prosecutors said Ms Kaur died a day after she was set on fire and ran from the couple's Rouse Hill home while on fire from the neck down.
Neighbours have told the trial they saw Ms Kaur in a "full ball of fire" as she ran outside and her husband followed close behind her, making a patting motion with his hands near the flames.
Family members have told the court Ms Kaur was in an abusive and controlling relationship.
She was being beaten and verbally abused while living under extremely restrictive conditions, they claim.
The court previously heard that Ms Kaur worked up to seven days a week at a mushroom farm earning just $50 (£27.50) after the pay went into her husband's account.
Singh has denied murdering his wife, telling police "she did it to herself" in an upstairs bedroom.
He claims he ran downstairs to find her in flames. The trial continues.
