'Angry' prisoner lit court cell fire

A woman who set fire to her cell did so because she was angry and because she had been labelled mentally ill.

A young woman was able to set fire to a Whangarei District Court cell with a lighter she smuggled inside when there was no female staff to physically search her, a court has heard.

Josephine Dey's action on August 13 resulted in two prisoners in adjacent cells being evacuated and the Fire Service called to douse the flames.

The 21-year-old last week pleaded guilty to arson after earlier denying the charge that carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in jail.

The police summary of facts said Dey was taken downstairs to a cell to await her paperwork during an appearance to vary her bail conditions last year.

Before entering the cell, she handed over a lighter and a cellphone upon request from staff, but withheld another lighter and cellphone. The male custody officer was not able to physically search Dey.

In the cell, she took off her pantyhose, bundled it into a ball then set fire it on fire. Dey then sat on the floor and watched the fire spread up the cell's wall.

She took photos of the fire on her cellphone and sent them to an associate. A short time later, the custody officer returned to Dey's cell with a female staff member and noticed the smoke and fire.

Dey was removed from the cell and staff used a fire extinguisher, but it was the wrong type. A hose was used to douse the fire, but the embers reignited a short time later. Smoke had spread into two adjacent cells from which two prisoners were then evacuated.

The Fire Service was called and firefighters removed some wall lining to ensure all embers were extinguished. In explanation, Dey said she was angry at being led down to the cells and lit the fire because she had been labelled mentally ill.

Her lawyer, Nick Leader, requested she be remanded in custody at the Mason Clinic. Dey will be sentenced on March 13.