Jake Roy Tarplee faces Coffs Harbour court charged with damaging communications tower in arson attack

A young man accused of deliberately setting a communications tower alight, disrupting TV and radio signals for thousands of people, has faced court. Here’s what happened.

The communications tower fire cut services to more than 14,000 people.

A young Coffs Harbour man charged with extensively damaging a key local communications centre in a deliberate fire has been released on bail.

Jake Roy Tarplee, 20, was in custody when he faced Coffs Harbour Local Court on Tuesday on a single charge of damaging property by fire, greater than $15,000.

It came after a Coffs/Clarence Police District investigation was launched following the alleged arson at the tower near Sealy Lookout, just north of Coffs, late last year.

Emergency services were responded to the fire at the tower on Sealy Lookout Dr, Korora just after midnight on December 14.

Police found the communication room had been broken into and a fire had damaged computer equipment.

Coffs Harbour police Detective Sergeant Aaron Van Schaik speaks about the blaze.

A crime scene was set up, and the area was forensically examined.

The fire cut telecommunications services to some 14,000 people in the region.

Many Vodafone customers were impacted by the blaze.

Coffs Harbour police Detective Sergeant Aaron Van Schaik previously said the tower was operated by several commercial and government tenants.

Following inquiries, police arrested Tarplee about 9pm on Monday.

On Tuesday, Magistrate Theresa Hamilton granted him conditional bail.

He was ordered to be of good behaviour and not to enter the Coffs Harbour Communications Towers, Korora or to go within 100 metres of the site.

Tarplee must also reside at Coffs Harbour and engage with Headspace youth mental health service.

Ms Hamilton adjourned the case to July 11.