An Alexandra man has denied charges of setting his former workplace alight and damaging the vehicles of former colleagues and his then partner.
Aaron Gourlay (43) plead not guilty to four charges of arson and two of intentional damage at the start of his jury trial in the Dunedin District Court yesterday.
The arson charges relate to the Wastebusters Recycling Centre in Alexandra, which was destroyed by fire in September 2015, and three vehicle fires, while the intentional damage charges stem from the slashing of tyres on two cars.
All the vehicle owners knew Gourlay, and each had had a difficult relationship with him.
The first vehicle to catch fire was that of Frank Harris, a former workmate of Gourlay's at Wastebusters.
The roof of his car caught fire on May 15, 2015, a blaze which police and fire investigators at the time believed was caused by electrical failure.
When questioned by Crown prosecutor Craig Power, Mr Harris said he had found newspaper in his car the day after the fire and he never left newspapers in his car.
Counsel for Gourlay, Adriana Pinnock, asked Mr Harris why he had not reported this to the police at the time.
Mr Harris said as his car was not insured, he did not think there was any point in taking things any further.
The car was later taken away by a wrecking firm.
Mrs Pinnock also asked why Mr Harris believed the fire was suspicious when investigators believed it had been caused by water getting into the wiring of the inside centre light.
He said his car did not have a centre light, so that could not have caused the fire.
Mr Harris also told the court Gourlay visited his house on the night Alexandra Wastebusters burnt down, ``for the first time in ages''.
Mr Harris said the two men were former friends and drinking companions, but in recent times their relationship had become ``strained''.
Mr Gourlay had arrived at his house on foot, seemed ``agitated'', and told him his dog had just drowned.
Mr Harris estimated Gourlay was only in his house around 10 minutes, as his partner asked him to make Gourlay leave.
The Crown also called Alan Miles, owner of a Mitsubishi Diamante allegedly set on fire by Gourlay on June 28, 2015.
Mr Miles said he was woken by a noise, got out of bed, and smelled petrol. Soon afterwards he saw a fire under the left rear side of his car.
His vehicle was badly damaged by the fire, which came very close to his flat, scorching the eaves and cracking window glass.
Mr Miles also told the court he had had ``a run-in'' with Gourlay's parents over a fishing rod - a run-in which resulted in his serving a brief term of imprisonment.
Mr Miles will continue to give evidence today.
The trial, before Judge Kevin Phillips and a jury of seven women and five men, is scheduled to take the rest of the week.
