Alleged Clarendon arsonist, 61-year-old Hallett Cove man, denied bail

The man charged with lighting a fire near the Cherry Gardens blaze has been linked to the area by phone data, a court heard today. His bail request was denied.

A 61-year-old former CFS volunteer charged with allegedly lighting a bushfire just kilometres away from the burning Cherry Gardens fire has been denied bail.

The Hallett Cove man – whose identity has been suppressed by the court – appeared in the Christies Beach Magistrates Court via video link on Tuesday.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Kevin Dollard told the court police were continuing analysis of the man’s phone, vehicle and footwear to establish connections to other fires in the area.

“Police are still tracking his movements prior to the fire, police are investigating cause of seven other ignition points that started fires that day in the area of Cherry Gardens, Dorset Vale, Bradbury and Kangarilla in the time leading up to the arrest of the accused,” Sergeant Dollard said.

“Police are analysing cell tower data which at this time puts him in the vicinity of those fires.

“Police are exploring avenues for comparison of soil samples taken from his vehicle and his footwear to see whether that would place him at the scene of those fires.”

CFS trucks at the Cherry Gardens fire. Picture: Salisbury Country Fire Service

Sergeant Dollard said police had spotted the man and his white car on Piggott Range Road, Clarendon around 6pm on the day of the Cherry Gardens bushfire.

“As (police) approached, they saw the accused about two metres away from the passenger side of that vehicle in a dry, grassy area and he appeared to be hurrying to return to the driver’s side,” he said.

“As he was getting into his vehicle, police saw flames about one metre high emerging from the area they’d just seen the accused.”

Sergeant Dollard said the man drove off at high speed and overtook numerous cars on Piggott Range and Cox Hill Roads before eventually stopping.

“He initially told police that he saw someone lighting a fire,” Sergeant Dollard said.

“He made some comment about the bastard who lit it, ‘the bloody idiot’ and motioned that he tried to stomp the fire out.

“(Police) found a cigarette lighter in (the accused’s) pocket.”

He was later breath-tested and recorded a blood-alcohol level of 0.149.

The court heard the man allegedly ignited 10 to 15 sqm of land before police and members of the public were able to extinguish it.

A burnt out structure on Mount Bod Road after the Cherry Gardens fire. Picture: Kelly Barnes

Defence lawyer Paul O’Connor told the court the man had not been charged with lighting other fires on the day.

“At this stage … it is a suspicion, he wasn’t seen lighting a fire rather he was seen at an area where the fire was then seen when police approached.”

Mr O’Connor said the man had been assaulted in custody at the Adelaide Remand Centre and remained in a form of protective custody.

In denying bail, Magistrate Lynette Duncan said she was not satisfied the accused had met the special circumstances required to release him.

“I consider this to be a relatively strong circumstantial case,” Ms Duncan said.

“I’m mindful of the submissions that have been made in terms of his experience in custody to date

“But … I’m not satisfied special circumstances have been established and so bail is refused.”