Bail for fire accused

A 17-YEAR-OLD boy accused of setting fire to two Gold Coast primary schools last week has been released on bail.

Jian Hattersley-James appeared in the Southport Magistrates Court yesterday charged with two counts of arson, one of wilful damage, two counts of wilful damage by graffiti and 10 counts of intentional misuse of the triple 0 emergency services line.

The charges came after Hattersley-James allegedly lit two fires – one believed to have been at Miami State School and the other at St Vincent’s Primary School.

Duty lawyer David Carlin, from Legal Aid, told the court his client saw a mental health practitioner every five years.

“Arson is a very serious charge ... but objectively speaking this is not (the most) serious. On the evidence, he is accused to setting fire to a floor mat,” he said.

The court heard HattersleyJames was under the supervision of Youth Justice after previously committed an offence as a child. “Well that’s been a roaring success hasn’t it?” Magistrate Gary Finger said.

Hattersley-James does not attend high school and was getting support to start education for a trade, the court was told.

He was granted bail on the condition he reside at an address in Broadbeach Waters with his father and abide by a curfew that requires him to stay in the house between 7pm and 6am. Hattersley-James will appear in court again on August 22.