A Whangarei man found guilty at a third trial of an arson attack at his former workplace has had his convictions quashed.
Vincent Leonard, 45, was jailed for six years after being found guilty in Whangarei District Court at his third trial in September 2009 on charges of arson, burglary and intentional damage of Pat Gavin Kitchens in 2006.
The Fire Service said the blaze was deliberately lit and caused more than $1 million in damages.
Leonard said he was not in central Whangarei on the morning of the fire.
Court of Appeal judges Robert Chambers, Judith Potter and Forrest Miller today quashed his convictions and made no order for retrial.
They said reasons for their decision would follow.
Jurors could not reach a decision at Leonard's first trial in 2008, while a mistrial was declared two days after the second trial started in 2009.
