Grandmother pleads not guilty to 21 arson charges

A 42-year-old Far North woman facing 21 charges of arson relating to fires that caused more than $500,000 damage in and around Kaitaia has been committed for trial.

Lee Jo van Haaren, formerly of Takahue Saddle south of Kaitaia, entered a plea of not guilty to the charges at the end of a depositions hearing before JPs Bob Banks and Anne Kitchen in Kaitaia District Court yesterday.

Van Haaren's lawyer, Catherine Cull, conceded the prosecution had made a prima facie case against her client. No application was made for bail and Van Haaren was remanded in custody to appear next in Kaikohe District Court on December 1 for a trial date to be set.

All charges involve deliberately lit fires to property and buildings in Kaitaia between November 23 last year and May 19 this year.

Evidence and statements were taken from 40 police and civilian witnesses during the hearing in Kaitaia.

The court was told van Haaren had been engaged in ongoing disputes with several local agencies and organisations including the Kaitaia Child, Youth and Family office after the defendant's grand-daughter had been taken into Child, Youth and Family care, and the Far North District Council following seizure by the council of some property and animals.

According to the prosecution, Van Haaren had also had "difficulties" with Kaitaia Primary School.

All three organisations were hit by suspicious fires, with the council office being targeted twice and the primary school losing a five-room infant block during a fire on the night of April 16 that caused more than $235,000 damage.

The town's arts centre building was gutted, while Kaitaia's community centre, a netball clubrooms, a church hall, shops, business premises and phone boxes were also set alight and damaged.

No one was hurt during the series of late night and early morning fires which are estimated by police to have caused in excess of $500,000 damage.