FIREBUG Chad Musgrave has pleaded guilty to lighting six fires at Windale during high temperatures and strong winds late last year after the DPP agreed to withdraw a string of other arson charges.
Musgrave, 34, of Windale, was represented by solicitor Steffany Sneesby when he appeared in Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday via audio visual link from Long Bay Correctional Centre.
He pleaded guilty to six counts of damaging property by fire relating to blazes that sparked in mattresses, rubbish and skip bins at Windale over a number of nights in November last year.
He also admitted to torching a car outside a home at Charlestown on October 23.
The DPP had already withdrawn the most serious charge in relation to a fire which damaged a home in Charlestown about 9pm on the same night. And on Wednesday they withdrew a number of other charges relating to arson attacks on vehicles at Windale in November. Musgrave pleaded not guilty to a charge of damaging property by fire with intent to injure and will ultimately face a hearing and be sentenced in Belmont Local Court.
While each fire was lit under the cover of darkness, Lake Macquarie was enduring periods of high fire danger at the time of the arson attacks, with temperatures reaching 33 degrees and winds gusting at 52km/h.
Musgrave, who has made several failed bids for bail since his arrest, allegedly told police that he has a predilection for lighting fires and "needs help".
