A man who allegedly lit a fire in the Adelaide Hills while a separate blaze raged uncontrolled about 10 kilometres away has appeared briefly in court.
Key points:
- The Hallett Cove man is accused of starting a blaze at Clarendon
- The 61-year-old’s identity has been suppressed
- Police prosecutors today told the court it would take eight months to conduct an investigation
The Hallett Cove man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared in the Christies Beach Magistrates Court today charged with several offences including intentionally causing a bushfire and fleeing police.
His case was adjourned until September and the suppression order over his identity will be reviewed in two months.
It will be alleged that the 61-year-old started a blaze on Piggott Range Road, at Clarendon in the Adelaide Hills, about 6:00pm on Sunday — two hours after an emergency warning had been declared for a fire at Cherry Gardens.
The fire at Clarendon was extinguished by members of the public with minimal damage caused to scrubland.
Police prosecutors today told Magistrate Sue O’Connor that investigators needed eight months to conduct DNA analysis — including on fingerprints, and hand and nail samples — as well as examine GPS devices.
“We’re still in the early stages of investigation for this matter and links to other matters,” she said.
She said witnesses needed to be interviewed and it was difficult for investigators to access the wider fire ground.
Lawyers for the man did not oppose the eight-month adjournment or the suppression order.
The man did not apply for bail.
