Alleged arsonist Christopher Robert Nicholson asks Roma Magistrates Court for more lenient bail conditions

An alleged arsonist has pleaded with the court for more lenient bail conditions, as he faces a potential 14-year prison sentence if convicted.

A man who allegedly stole copper items and burnt in bushland to sell has appeared in court, pleading for the magistrate to grant him more lenient bail conditions.

Christopher Robert Nicholson asked Roma Magistrates Court to remove the night curfew entirely from his bail conditions, which police opposed.

“What the defendant is alleged to be doing is entering people’s premises and stealing hot water systems and other items which contain copper,” they said.

“He takes the whole item out and burns it, to strip it down to get the copper easier and comes back and sells it.

“He goes to the bushland area and on some occasions the fires are at the point of getting out of control. QFES won’t be able to contain them.

“Your honour, he is asking for the curfew to be completely lifted. If he was asking to reduce it, I would consider it.

“I would certainly be requiring not just confirmation of employment but what other steps are able to be implemented to ensure that this behaviour does not recommence.”

Nicholson, who hasn’t entered a plea yet, has been charged with arson and is due to appear in the next Roma District Court sitting in October 2023.

Police stressed there was a “lot of dry grass lying around” as fodder for the primary producers.

“This is a thought-out process. The curfew wasn’t put on with a lack of consideration,” they said.

Defence lawyer Leslee Reed said Nicholson works Sunday afternoon to Friday afternoon and the current night time curfew interfered with his job.

The court heard Nicholson had not provided any evidence of his employment or how the curfew impacts his job.

Magistrate Shane Elliott said the curfew wasn’t put onto his bail conditions as a punishment, but as a way to “mitigate risks.’

“That is very unfortunate for you, but this is very serious offending and it looks like it has to be dealt with in the District Court and it carries a 14-year imprisonment,” the magistrate said.

“This is all happening at night, the reason for bail conditions is to mitigate the risk of it happening again.That’s how we prevent people from committing further offences on bail.

“The only other thing we can do is remand him in custody, but this (bail conditions) allows him to be in the community.

“I wouldnt be minded to vary it anyway, certainly not without evidence about this employment.

“I’m certainly not prepared to just give him a few months off.”

Mr Elliott denied the removal of the curfew request and ordered a brief of evidence be prepared by June 21 and for this matter to be adjourned to July 25.