Jarrod James, the 27-year-old man accused of deliberately lighting a bushfire in Brisbane Water National Park, has been granted bail.
James appeared in Gosford Local Court on Monday, August 24, to face charges of intentionally cause fire and be reckless as to its spread after he was arrested following a suspicious blaze that destroyed 150sqm of bushland off Woy Woy Rd, Woy Woy, just after 3:30am the Saturday prior.
According to police facts tendered in court, James was seen in the vicinity for three hours before the fire was reported and was arrested nearby shortly after.
Police also allege James was found carrying a lighter and heavily intoxicated at the time of his arrest.
In court James’ Legal Aid solicitor told presiding Magistrate, Alex Mijovich, that his client was a hardworking father struggling to come to terms with a recent separation from his partner and that he would be willing to abide by any conditions if bail was granted.
With no eye witness accounts of James’ actually lighting the fire granted the Woy Woy man strict conditional bail stipulating that he must report to police daily, live with his grandmother, adhere to a curfew, not enter any park or bushland, abstain from drugs and alcohol and not possess any fire lighting equipment.
James’ matter will return to court on September 3.
Source:
NSW Police Media release, Aug 22
NSW Department of Justice Casefile R v Jarrod James 2020/00244761, Aug 24