Roxburgh Park man Jason Ball pleads not guilty to 13 arson charges
A Roxburgh Park man accused of lighting more than a dozen fires in Melbourne’s outer north between October and December has been committed to stand trial.
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A man accused of lighting more than a dozen fires in Melbourne’s outer north has been committed to stand trial in the County Court.
Jason Ball, 48, has pleaded not guilty to 13 arson charges for bush and grass fires allegedly set in the Roxburgh Park and Craigieburn areas between October 21 and December 21 last year.
The alleged serial fire starter evaded detectives for several months before he was caught in the vicinity of a suspicious blaze after three fires were lit in Lakes Drive, Hayfield Rd and Wintersun Crt in Roxburgh Park in the early hours of December 21.
The CFA extinguished each of the fires without any damage to properties.
Mr Ball faced Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, where he was directed to stand trial in the County Court later this month.
No application for bail was made and he will remain in custody until his next court appearance.
Charge sheets released by the court show Mr Ball has also been accused of starting another fire in Hayfield Rd and one in Bembridge Mews, Craigieburn on October 21.
The Roxburgh Park man also allegedly destroyed a Hume Council wheelie bin in Craigieburn by setting it alight on the same night.
He has also been charged with setting fires at Greenway Place, Craigieburn on October 26 and two blazes in Tusmore Rise and Hayfield Rd in Roxburgh Park on November 2.
Another wheelie bin was also allegedly destroyed in Craigieburn on November 17 and the following night two fires were started in Axminster Drive, Craigieburn and again in Hayfield Rd.
The final charge relates to another fire in Lakes Drive, Craigieburn on December 5.
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Detective Sergeant James Marsden told Leader at the time it was a “prolonged and difficult” investigation.
“As the fuel load dried out the increased danger to public safety was at the forefront of our minds,” he said.
He said they were assisted by the Arson and Explosives Squad during the two-month investigation.