Tony
12-21-2007, 06:30 AM
SEAN FEWSTER, COURT REPORTER
December 21, 2007 02:30pm
ALLEGED Harrogate firebug Helen White told police "I didn't light them all" after being arrested for starting 47 bushfires, a court has heard.
White was today refused bail after a court heard she lit 11 of those fires – with mosquito coils and matches – while her children sat in the back seat of her car.
The Christies Beach Magistrates Court also heard White continued to light "numerous fires" after she was pulled over and questioned by a police patrol.
Magistrate Derek Sprod was told of "admissions, lies and fanciful explanations" she allegedly gave police to disguise her involvement, such as:
HER fingerprints would be found on mosquitos coils because she had handled them at a shop.
SHE had bought coils to "test" whether they could start a fire.
HER car was seen at the fires because someone had "borrowed" it while she and her children played.
The 44-year-old, of Harrogate, has yet to plead to 47 counts of deliberately lighting a bushfire.
She allegedly lit five fires at Harrogate in 2006, 21 in January 2007, four in March and 17 this month - some destroying as much as 180ha.
Today, Crown prosecutor Adam Kimber said the case against the mother-of-two was "overwhelming".
"On Sunday, while in custody at Mount Barker, she saw a police officer she knew socially," he said.
"She called him over to her cell and, in the course of speaking to him, said 'I didn't light them all'."
He said White lit fires after Major Crime detectives informed her she was a suspect, and after a police officer pulled her over in the middle of an arson spree.
"She is not someone who can control her actions and is prepared to take her young children along," he said.
"She has a complete inability to control herself in terms of lighting these fires."
Mr Kimber said White had given police "lies and fanciful explanations".
He said that, in January, a child had found a bag of coils near a blaze and turned it in.
"White contacted police (and) said she had located the bag on the road at about Christmas, handled it but left it there," he said.
"Later, she asked if police could get fingerprints from mosquito coils.
"She said she had been at a local store and examined some coils (and had to) replace them on the shelf after they were disturbed by one of her children."
He said White admitted buying coils after her bank statement was checked, but said she was "testing" their ability to start fires.
Cathy Hicks, for White, said home detention bail and "24-7 monitoring" would be adequate for her client.
Mr Sprod disagreed.
"In the circumstances of this matter, the protection of the community – and in particular, the Adelaide Hills community – must be of significant importance," he said.
He remanded White in custody until next month.
For legal reasons, AdelaideNow cannot publish comments on this story.
December 21, 2007 02:30pm
ALLEGED Harrogate firebug Helen White told police "I didn't light them all" after being arrested for starting 47 bushfires, a court has heard.
White was today refused bail after a court heard she lit 11 of those fires – with mosquito coils and matches – while her children sat in the back seat of her car.
The Christies Beach Magistrates Court also heard White continued to light "numerous fires" after she was pulled over and questioned by a police patrol.
Magistrate Derek Sprod was told of "admissions, lies and fanciful explanations" she allegedly gave police to disguise her involvement, such as:
HER fingerprints would be found on mosquitos coils because she had handled them at a shop.
SHE had bought coils to "test" whether they could start a fire.
HER car was seen at the fires because someone had "borrowed" it while she and her children played.
The 44-year-old, of Harrogate, has yet to plead to 47 counts of deliberately lighting a bushfire.
She allegedly lit five fires at Harrogate in 2006, 21 in January 2007, four in March and 17 this month - some destroying as much as 180ha.
Today, Crown prosecutor Adam Kimber said the case against the mother-of-two was "overwhelming".
"On Sunday, while in custody at Mount Barker, she saw a police officer she knew socially," he said.
"She called him over to her cell and, in the course of speaking to him, said 'I didn't light them all'."
He said White lit fires after Major Crime detectives informed her she was a suspect, and after a police officer pulled her over in the middle of an arson spree.
"She is not someone who can control her actions and is prepared to take her young children along," he said.
"She has a complete inability to control herself in terms of lighting these fires."
Mr Kimber said White had given police "lies and fanciful explanations".
He said that, in January, a child had found a bag of coils near a blaze and turned it in.
"White contacted police (and) said she had located the bag on the road at about Christmas, handled it but left it there," he said.
"Later, she asked if police could get fingerprints from mosquito coils.
"She said she had been at a local store and examined some coils (and had to) replace them on the shelf after they were disturbed by one of her children."
He said White admitted buying coils after her bank statement was checked, but said she was "testing" their ability to start fires.
Cathy Hicks, for White, said home detention bail and "24-7 monitoring" would be adequate for her client.
Mr Sprod disagreed.
"In the circumstances of this matter, the protection of the community – and in particular, the Adelaide Hills community – must be of significant importance," he said.
He remanded White in custody until next month.
For legal reasons, AdelaideNow cannot publish comments on this story.