Jonny Flor, Molly Lee and Taylor Jordan Jarrett accused of Tamworth house fire

Jonny Flor fronted Tamworth Local Court when one charge of concealing a serious indictable offence of another person was withdrawn against the 19-year-old.

Flor was accused of failing to bring information to the attention of a member of the police force about a fire which destroyed a house on Cossa Street in West Tamworth on May 3, 2022.

Police had previously alleged the 19-year-old from Bingara did not have a reasonable excuse to withhold information that could have provided material assistance in securing an apprehension, prosecution, or conviction about the malicious damage by fire.

But the prosecution told the court the charge was now to be withdrawn, with Magistrate Julie Soars formally dismissing the allegation.

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The 19-year-old now faces just one lone charge of damaging property by fire, or explosion.

The withdrawal comes after Flor's defence solicitor Alex Floyd previously argued against a lengthy adjournment when the prosecution asked for more time to sift through a "voluminous" brief of evidence before certifying the charges.

"This is the fourth time I've appeared in this matter when there hasn't been any further material served on me," he told the court in July.

Molly Lee, 20, and Taylor Jordan Jarrett, 21, also face the same charge, with all three accused of torching the Cossa Street house between 1:20am and 2:06am on May 3, 2022.

It's the police case the trio intentionally or recklessly destroyed or damaged the house.

In court, Ms Soars adjourned the matters for each accused to hold a case conference with solicitors for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

She told each co-accused the case conference would help them decide whether to plead guilty or not guilty to the charge levelled against them.

Ms Soars said if a guilty plea is entered the matter will be sent to the district court for sentencing, and if the plea is not guilty it will be sent to the same court for trial.

She said any discount each accused may receive on their sentence will depend on when they plead guilty.

The trio will return to court in November.

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