Arson accused bailed at last

AFTER three weeks in custody, accused arsonist Jason Lee White has finally been released back into the community after obtaining bail.

White, 38, is accused of setting fire to the Newtown residence in which he was staying on February 7.

Police and emergency services had arrived at the house in Bernard St about 6.15pm to find the building on fire but noone home.

Police claim initial investigations by the Toowoomba Criminal Investigation Branch indicated that the fire had been deliberately lit.

White had been taken into custody the next day and charged with endangering particular property by fire and failing to properly dispose of a needle and syringe.

He has not been required to enter any pleas to the charges but he had remained in custody as no suitable bail address could be found for him.

Each of several addresses put forward by White had been rejected by police as unsuitable due to various reasons.

However, his solicitor Joe Millican told Toowoomba Magistrates Court yesterday that a suitable address approved by police had been found.

Magistrate Damian Carroll therefore granted bail with conditions that White reside at the address given to the court and report to police each Friday.

The case was adjourned for mention back in the same court on April 24.