An alleged arsonist accused of starting fires during a total fire ban has failed at his third attempt to be released on bail.
Chad Musgrave appeared in Newcastle Local Court on Thursday via audio-visual link from Sydney's Long Bay jail.
Among the charges, Mr Musgrave faces 12 counts of damaging property by fire and six charges of not complying with a total fire ban for his alleged involvement in blazes at Windale and Charlestown late last year.
According to court documents, the 34-year-old is accused of setting mattresses, vehicles and a bin alight over several days.
Police say Mr Musgrave lit fires in five cars, five abandoned mattresses, a skip bin and a pile of rubbish in James Street, Bourke Street, Kalyan Way, Talinga Close and Balemo Crescent between November 7 and 20 - including four cars in one night.
In court on Thursday, Mr Musgrave's solicitor Steffany Sneesby applied for bail on his behalf.
Ms Sneesby said her client had been in custody for eight months since his arrest and would be willing to comply with any strict conditions - including reporting to police twice a day - if released on bail.
Ms Sneesby said identification by some witnesses and on CCTV footage tendered to the court was an issue of contention in the case.
The harder conditions of jail in the time of COVID-19 visitor restrictions and the toll his remand was taking on his elderly mother - who watched from the public gallery on Thursday - were among the reasons Mr Musgrave was making a fresh attempt at bail.
The court heard that a serious indictable charge against the Windale man had been withdrawn and the matter was likely to stay in the local court, rather than proceeding to the district court.
The prosecution said it believed it had a reasonably strong case against Mr Musgrave.
But Magistrate Sharron Crews rejected the bid for bail, saying the conditions Ms Sneesby put forward did not mitigate risk to the community.
Magistrate Crews said protection of the community was particularly a concern given that Mr Musgrave had conceded he needed help with his desire to light and video-record fires.
She said if Mr Musgrave is convicted of the charges, he is likely to spend more time in custody.
Mr Musgrave will face court again on August 5.
