Blake Banner: Ex Tarraganda firefighter allegedly lit multiple fires

A judge has questioned why the police officer parents of a former firefighter charged with lighting several blazes should not be subpoenaed to give evidence at his trial.

Blake Banner has been charged with lighting seven grass and shrub fires last year.

A court has revealed the parents of a Tarraganda man charged with lighting multiple fires in and around Bega late last year, who are both active police officers, may be subpoenaed to give evidence at his trial.

Former Tarraganda Brigade volunteer firefighter Blake William Banner, 20, is facing a judge-alone trial from Monday after pleading not guilty to lighting seven separate fires in and around Bega between October and November last year.

The trial is expected to go for five days.

Banner’s lawyer Jennifer Chalker told the Bega District Court on Friday she had been advised by the office of the NSW Police Commissioner his parents would only be supplying the court with written statements.

Blake Banner is facing trial at Bega District Court after allegedly lighting fires on the south coast. Picture: Google Maps

Judge Robyn Tupman told the court the commissioner cannot “interfere in the courts”.

“There is nothing that prevents you from subpoenaing anybody,” she told the court.

“I’ve never heard anything like this before.”

The court heard Banner will submit an alibi statement to the court ahead of the trial, and his parents will submit their written statements this week.

Judge Tupman questioned why the alibi statement was being submitted so close to the trial date, and continued Banner’s bail.

Prosecutors allege Banner, who was a teenager at the time of the alleged offences, lit the seven grass and shrub fires on public land over a six-week period.

Prosecutors allege Banner, who is currently on bail, lit his first fire under a bridge at Tarraganda on October 17 last year, before allegedly lighting another a short time later near the Princes Highway at Ravenswood Street in Bega.

Banner allegedly lit another fire near the Bega River at Auckland Street in Bega on November 7.

Prosecutors allege Banner lit his fourth fire in grass on Murrays Flat Road on November 10, and another the following day on Dr George Mountain Road at Tarraganda.

They allege Banner lit another fire in grass and bushland near the Bega River on November 26, and that on November 30 he returned to Dr George Road where he lit another fire.