There are concerns for the mental health of a man charged with arson following a house fire in the Dunedin suburb of Concord. The 55-year-old appeared in the Dunedin District Court this morning for a bail application but none was advanced by his lawyer Sarah Saunderson-Warner. He was granted interim suppression by Judge Michael Crosbie due to fears his mental health might deteriorate should his name be published. The suppression would be re-assessed when he appeared in court next month. “[The defendant] should assume at some point [the suppression order] will lapse,” Judge Crosbie said.

Source: Otago Daily Times October 10, 2016 23:20 UTC