Vicki Ward, Daniel Sharpe face court after Mittagong caravan fire

A mother and son have faced court after being arrested in relation to a suspicious fire which damaged a caravan someone was living inside in Mittagong.

A mother and son have faced court after being charged over their alleged involvement in a suspicious fire that destroyed a caravan in Mittagong in July.

Daniel Joseph Sharpe, 26, and his mother Vicki Maree Ward, 50, were due to appear in Moss Vale Local Court on August 7, but both were excused due to the pandemic.

Mr Sharpe is charged with using fire to intentionally damage property worth more than $15,000 on July 7 at Mittagong.

Police allege they have footage showing the Welby resident lighting the fire that destroyed a caravan. Court documents reveal someone was living in the stationary caravan when it went up in flames in the middle of the night.

Emergency services rushed to Bowral Rd in Mittagong at 2.30am on July 7 after receiving calls about a blaze on the residential street.

The fire was so intense it took NSW Fire and Rescue over an hour to extinguish the fire, which had completely destroyed the caravan and the motor vehicle. No one was injured, but the police facts show nearby residences were evacuated for fear of the fire engulfing another dwelling.

The court heard Mr Sharpe was on parole for violent offences at the time of the offences, after being released five months ago. He is currently in custody and has not entered pleas for the charge of arson.

His mother Vicki Ward has pleaded not guilty to concealing information from the police to protect her son. She has been charged with hindering an investigation into a serious indictable offence and concealing a serious indictable offence.

Police released footage of a person of interest in the caravan fire on Bowral Rd. Picture: NSW Police

Ms Ward was arrested on the morning of August 26 when police executed a search warrant on a home in Mittagong and seized a mobile phone.

A second search warrant was carried out by police at Mr Sharpe’s home in Welby with the assistance of the Public Order and Riot Squad. At approximately 5pm, police searched the premises and allegedly seized a number of items relating to the caravan fire, including an electronic stun device.

Ms Ward will return to Moss Vale Local Court on October 19 to set a date for hearing and Mr Sharpe will return on October 21 to enter pleas.