No conviction over Northern Bay College’s Hendy St campus fire

There’s been a major development in the case surrounding a fire at Northern Bay College’s Hendy St campus that damaged large parts of the school and led to the arrest of a 13-year-old girl.

Demolition following the fire that damaged buildings at Northern Bay College’s Hendy St campus. Picture: Alison Wynd

There has been no conviction recorded after a young girl was charged over a fire at Northern Bay College’s Hendy St campus that damaged large parts of the school and forced its closure.

A 13-year-old girl was arrested after the Corio blaze on October 8 last year.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said while police charged the girl following the fire, it was deemed there were “no reasonable prospects of conviction”.

“The 13-year-old girl was arrested, and charged with criminal damage by fire,” she said.

“A section of the school sustained significant damage.”

The spokeswoman said following advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions, it was found the prosecution would not have been able to rebut the “presumption of doli incapax”.

Doli incapax refers to the presumption that a child under the age of 14 is incapable of criminal intent, even where a criminal act is committed.

A section of the school suffered major damage in the blaze, which forced a temporary relocation of classes and a rebuild.

While students from prep to year six returned to the campus in October, Years 7 and 8 students only returned from the school’s Peacock campus in late November.

Their return was made possible with three relocatable buildings, portable toilets, minor upgrades to the administration building, and a temporary library “desk” in the school.

The rest of the rebuild is scheduled to finish in mid 2025.

Originally published as No conviction over Northern Bay College’s Hendy St campus fire