Jairus Warta, 19, has been granted bail after appearing in the Cairns Magistrates Court on charges of arson and entering a premises with intent to commit an indictable offence. Police allege Warta broke into an early learning centre on McLaughlin Road in Bentley Park, south of Cairns, at about 5pm on Sunday and used an accelerant to ignite a fire before fleeing the scene. Emergency crews later extinguished the blaze, but the childcare centre sustained extensive damage estimated to be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

During the bail hearing, Crown prosecutor Chiu-Hing Chan said the case relied on CCTV footage, witness accounts and police body-worn camera evidence. He noted that arson involving the structure of a building carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. However, Magistrate Dominic Brunello questioned whether the available evidence established a strong case.

He pointed to discrepancies in witness descriptions, including differences in the colour of shorts worn by the alleged offender and the accused at the time of arrest. He also noted that Warta has no prior criminal history. Warta was released on bail and is scheduled to return to court in July for a committal mention.