Blake Banner: Court hears former volunteer firefighter’s car was covertly tracked by police

A former volunteer firefighter’s car was tracked by police after allegedly lighting multiple blazes before the devastating bushfires, a court has heard.

Blake Banner has been charged with lighting seven grass and shrub fires late last year. Picture: Alasdair McDonald

A former volunteer firefighter told police after he was arrested he could not have started four of the seven fires he is standing trial for lighting last year because he was at home with his police officer parents.

Former Tarraganda Brigade volunteer firefighter Blake William Banner, 20, faced day one of his judge-alone trial in the Bega District Court on Monday after pleading not guilty to lighting seven separate fires in and around Bega between October and November last year.

During the opening statement, Crown prosecutors alleged Banner had an interest in fires, and had on his phone pictures of fires and people lighting fires.

They also allege Banner’s red Nissan Navara utility was seen by witnesses on a number of occasions near fires.

Judge Robyn Tupman said there had initially been no reference in the Crown case to what was found on Banner’s phone, and the revelation would likely “blow out” the trial to beyond its estimated five days.

The court heard 17 witnesses, mostly firefighters and police officers, will take the stand during the trial.

Prosecutors told the court Banner, breaking protocol, called a fellow firefighter on October 17 last year in a “busted” and “panicked” voice after seeing a fire burning under a bridge at Tarraganda while on his way home.

Bega District Court. Picture: Google Maps

When the firefighter arrived at the fire shed, Banner was sitting in the truck dressed in full NSW Rural Fire Service equipment.

Fire investigators ruled out natural causes and located two cigarette lighters and a melted fast food cup at the scene. No DNA or fingerprint evidence was found at the scene.

The court heard Banner was arrested on November 26 last year after a covert tracking device was fitted to his car and was seen by police while under surveillance at the scene of one fire, which prosecutors allege he claimed he lit the fire.

A search of his vehicle allegedly uncovered a beer holder filled with four lighters despite Banner not being a smoker, the court heard.

The court heard on October 30 an eyewitness saw a red utility parked near the Princes Highway near an overpass before seeing the “glow of fire” when returning 10 minutes later.

Prosecutors said when firefighters arrived Banner was there, dressed in his firefighting uniform, despite his brigade not being called to the fire.

The court heard Banner told police and other firefighters he had seen the fire while leaving Bega’s Woolworths store, which prosecutors alleged was impossible.

Prosecutors told the court Banner’s mother, a NSW Police officer, was seen by her partner making a number of calls on the night after she also attended the fire.

Eight days later firefighters attended another fire at the Bega River, which was extinguished in 20 minutes, the court heard.

Firefighters were called to a fire in bushland on the Bega River. Picture: Google

Prosecutors told the court Banner has denied going to the river, telling police he went home after firefighter training before going to bed without talking to anyone at home.

Just days later, on a total fire ban day, a fire was reported in a pile of sticks on Murrays Flat Road at Tarraganda. Investigators ruled out natural causes.

When firefighters arrived a resident was attempting to put out the fire with a hessian bag.

Crown prosecutors told the court Banner had told police he had smelt smoke, which he said he thought was coming from Sydney, through his bedroom window and that he was “too tired” to alert emergency services.

Banner told police he did not leave the house that day, the court heard.

The court heard on November 11, a witness saw a red Nissan Navara utility driving at speed on Dr George Mountain Road near Tarraganda, near the scene of a further suspicious fire.

The Crown allege Banner lied to police about the time he finished work that day, and data usage on his phone showed it pinging at a number of phone towers from Tathra to Bermagui.

The court heard firefighters decided to patrol the mountain each night, and police fitted Banner’s vehicle with a covert tracking device.

A police task force was also created to investigate the string of suspicious fires.

On the day of his arrest, Banner was followed by police to the Bega River where officers observed smoke coming from a pile of fallen trees.

Banner was arrested when he returned to the fire shed, the court heard.

The Crown told the court firefighter Simon Bateman has submitted a statement saying the fires had the ability to cause “extensive damage if not extinguished quickly” due to the high fuel loads on the ground and the devastating drought conditions.

The court heard when Banner’s car was searched after his arrest he told police the lighters were his mothers and he was going to give them back as she “drops them” regularly.

He denied being anywhere near the river before later admitting to lighting the fire, the court heard.

Witness and Tarraganda brigade captain Baden Edwards told the court He was “shocked” and in disbelief when Banner was arrested by police.

The trial continues.