An 11-year-old boy accused of lighting two fires, one of which destroyed 5000 hectares of land near Heatherbrae, has been granted bail to be under virtual house arrest with his mother after facing a children's court on Tuesday.
The boy's father wept as pleas of not guilty were entered on the child's behalf.
The boy is accused of lighting a fire near the Pacific Highway, Raymond Terrace, on October 13 before walking with a group of friends to an area known as the Blue Lagoon in Heatherbrae.
He is accused of setting a fire, then fanning the flames with a branch that later developed into the blaze that consumed 5000 hectares of land over several days.
Magistrate Peter Feather said placing the child under house arrest, including preventing him from attending school, would address the community's concerns over further offending while total fire bans were in place.
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The case will return to court at Raymond Terrace next month when a 15-year-old youth who was charged on Monday over the fire will face court for the first time after being granted bail.
