Hunter Valley arson accused Jake Graham Brown expected to enter plea at next court appearance
Jake Graham Brown will make a plea on his next occasion at Newcastle Local Court, charged with two counts of intentionally causing a fire at Cessnock in December last year.
Newcastle
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A Hunter Valley man who’s among a number of alleged firebugs charged during a summer of disastrous bushfires, will make a plea on his next visit to court.
Jake Graham Brown, 24, sat nervously in Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday as his solicitor James Janke told his client: “Don’t worry it will be OK”.
Brown is charged with two counts of intentionally causing fire and be reckless as to its spread, relating to two bushfires at Cessnock in December last year.
Police were on Greta St, Aberdare, when they allegedly saw the 24-year-old emerge from bushland with soot all over his face, at 11pm on December 27 around the same time as a fire broke out in the area.
Police also allege he started a fire in bushland at Northumberland St, Neath earlier that day.
In court, no election had been made and the prosecution didn’t think the matter would be referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
But until that was made clear, Brown couldn’t enter a plea to the charges, and therefore Magistrate Andrew Miller adjourned the matter until next month. His bail continued.
Earlier this month, Brown’s father Graham - who supported his son in court today - told The Daily Telegraph he believed his son was innocent.
“He had nothing to do with the fires … he went to look at the fire that’s all. He had nothing to do with it,’’ he said.
Since August 1 last year NSW police have charged 267 people for 328 bushfire-related offences. Of that number 55 people were charged with deliberately lighting bushfires.