Arson accused held in custody

peter.hardwick@thechronicle.com.au A TOOWOOMBA man accused of starting a fire at his Centenary Heights home before being tasered after confronting police is set to spend his 24th birthday next week in custody.

Michael Charles Jarvis appeared briefly in custody before Toowoomba Magistrates Court yesterday on charges of endangering property by fire, wilful damage, trespassing, stealing and two counts of obstructing police arising from incidents on Thursday last week.

Police claim Jarvis set fire to the garage at his home last Thursday morning before leaving the scene.

He was later spotted in bushland near a house on Sandy Creek Rd, Grantham, prompting police and emergency services crews to search the area.

He was seen to scramble over a cliff and run off but was found later that morning in Turner St, Helidon, where it is alleged he confronted police about 7.40am and was tasered.

Jarvis had spent the ensuing week in custody at the Toowoomba Mental Health Unit before appearing in court yesterday morning.

He was not required to enter any pleas to the charges and his solicitor Brad Skuse told the court there would be no application for bail.

His client was still undergoing mental health assessments and, at the moment, had an ear infection, Mr Skuse said.

Magistrate Damian Carroll started to tell Jarvis that he would be remanded in custody, only for the 23-year-old to call out from the dock “I can’t hear”.

Mr Carroll remanded Jarvis in custody and adjourned all matters for mention back in the same court on June 25.