The pretrial of a man charged in connection with numerous suspicious fires in the county in 2016 and 2017 has been delayed.
Justin Nicholas Johnathon Beal, 28, of Guelph-Eramosa, is charged with seven counts of arson and was set to attend a judicial pretrial in Guelph on Feb. 28.
However, both the defense and the crown attorneys said a large volume of recently received disclosure documents would take time to go through.
A new judicial pretrial date was set for April 3 at 9:30am.
Background
Between October 2017 and January 2018, Beal was charged with arson in relation to seven suspicious fires.
From September 2016 to August 2017 Wellington County OPP and fire officials responded to a number fires, most of which were in abandoned rural homes and buildings.
A “multi-jurisdictional” team consisting of police and fire officials and the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office investigated a total of 18 blazes.
Beal was charged in relation to the following fires:
– Oct. 14, 2016 house fire at 5230 Third Line, Guelph-Eramosa;
– Oct. 19, 2016 house fire at 5292 Third Line, Guelph-Eramosa;
– Dec. 5, 2016 barn fire at 7070 Fife Road in Guelph-Eramosa;
– Feb. 3, 2017 shed fire at 6873 Highway 7 Guelph-Eramosa;
– Feb, 3, 2017 house and barn fire at 5413 Township Road 3, Guelph-Eramosa;
– June 25, 2017 shed fire at 5324 Wellington Road 125, Erin; and
– June 25, 2017 house fire 8813 Sideroad 27, Erin.
