A Kingston, Ont., man accused of lighting fires at the Lennox Agricultural Society’s Community Centre in Napanee and the garage of the society’s president has been denied bail.
Jay Bradley, 49, was arrested last month in connection with the two fires, which completely destroyed the community centre and a detached garage at a home on Curl Road in Stone Mills Township on the same night Oct. 23.
There were no injuries reported in either fire.
Bradley, whose charges include counts of arson with disregard for human life, appeared at a bail hearing in Napanee court Monday, but the decision was reserved.
Bradley appeared by video link in court Thursday where he heard his bail request had been denied.
A publication ban prevents Global News from publishing further details about the case discussed during the proceedings.
Carol McKinley, president of the Lennox Agricultural Society, has previously told Global News it was her garage that burned down, along with the community centre.
The community centre was also the headquarters for the agricultural society.
Bradley was a previous tenant of the Napanee community centre, owning and operating a disco-themed roller rink that was held on the community centre’s old ice pad.
In an interview before the fires in September, Bradley told Global News he’d been forced to stop running the events after financial restraints prevented him from signing a new lease with the community centre, which had been offered to him in April.
Along with the two counts of arson, Bradley has also been charged with criminal harassment, and threatening conduct along with possession of incendiary material.
Bradley will appear in Napanee court again on Jan. 23.
— with files from Global’s John Lawless, Darryn Davis and Ryan Peddigrew