Katherine Peterson: Vaucluse woman charged with setting fire to 5G mobile phone towers

An eastern suburbs woman charged with attempting to set fire to 5G mobile phone towers bizarrely described the telecommunications technology as “Chinese boxes” in court.

A woman who allegedly attempted to ignite power poles serving as Optus 5G mobile phone towers in Sydney’s east on three separate occasions has been granted bail.

Katherine Peterson, of Vaucluse, appeared in Waverley Local Court on Thursday charged with three counts of intentionally or recklessly damage property by fire or explosive.

The 50-year-old woman, appeared by videolink, uttered the bizarre words “it’s actually a Chinese box” when the Optus 5G mobile phone towers were referenced in court.

Reading from the prosecutor’s case, Magistrate Ross Hudson said police allege Peterson caused $150,000 in damage from incidents ranging from late last year to last Sunday, at 8:30pm, 2am and 5:30am.

The telegraph pole which was set alight. Picture: Google maps

On October 18, police allege CCTV footage showed Peterson walking near a power pole in Vaucluse, holding a bag, singlet on top of her head and a chair.

They allege Optus detected a fault and performed repair works about 7:30pm, after Peterson had been in the vicinity, with the technician reporting he could smell an accelerant.

NSW Fire and Rescue was called to investigate, with officers noting there was kerosene and an accelerant at the scene, the court heard.

On a second occasion on February 15, police allege it was a pair of passers-by who caught Peterson in the act.

Reading from the alleged facts, Magistrate Hudson said a witness and their partner were walking from their residence and noticed Peterson holding a number of bags and backpacks.

“They turned around a few minutes later and saw flames emanating from the telegraph pole, reaching chest height,” Magistrate Ross told the court.

“They flagged down a vehicle and got some water to put the fire out. A fire blanket was located and triple-0 was called. It was quickly extinguished.”

Police allege there was another attempt to damage the same tower in the early hours of April 3.

They allege Peterson was carrying dining chair which was later found at her home. They claim she placed a chair and cloth at the base of the telegraph pole, doused it in an unknown substance and held a small bottle in her hand while looked like vegetable oil.

“The accused attempted to ignite the cloth with a lighter, picked up the chair and walked east down,” Magistrate Ross told the court.

“A 6:55am a witness left his property to go for a run, noticed a white cloth and liquid on the ground … and realised something may have been going on.”

According to police claims, at 7:30am on April 6, officers went to Peterson’s Vaucluse home and found her “evidently suffering a mental health issue … clearly in a state of delusion”.

Police allege her housemate showed police the chair they suspected she carried to the tower as well as the singlet she wore on her head to hide her face and a light coloured shirt she was wearing.

Magistrate Hudson called the alleged behaviour bizarre. When considering the bail application, he asked Peterson’s lawyer if he was aware of any mental health issues.

Her lawyer said he believed she was not receiving help for any mental health conditions and not had been diagnosed.

While the prosecutor argued she would pose a risk to the community if granted bail, Peterson’s lawyer said she would follow strict conditions that would alleviate any risk.

Magistrate Hudson granted her conditional bail on the basis she not leave her home outside the hours of 9am and 7pm, see her doctor for any appropriate mental health support and not leave the state of NSW.

She is due to return to Waverley Local Court on April 21.