A Sydney woman who gave emotional evidence against her grandson in an arson case was telling the truth, a magistrate has found, and he may now face jail time.
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Joshua Bruce Staples, 20, a former junior volunteer for the Rural Fire Service was on Thursday found guilty of lighting 10 grass and rubbish fires around Bringelly, Badgery's Creek and Greendale in January 2011.
In Downing Centre Local Court, Magistrate Michelle Goodwin said she found that Staples wanted to fight the fires he started.
"The accused ... had a motive to start the fires so he could attend with the brigade to put out the fires."
Very early in the case Staples pleaded guilty, but later changed his plea to not guilty.
In a dramatic hearing in January, Staples' grandmother Veletta Heron said she was trying to help her grandson with legal paperwork after he was charged, and asked him to explain police surveillance photos that showed his car near the site of a blaze.
"He was very quiet and I looked up and he was crying," Mrs Heron said at the hearing.
"I don't think I've ever seen Josh cry as much. He was red and had tears running down his face.
"I said 'what's the matter?' and he said 'I did them'.
"I stopped for a moment and I tried to think what to say and I said 'what did you do, Josh?' and he said 'the fires'."
Staples broke down during his evidence and told the court his grandmother was lying.
But Mrs Heron was insistent, looking at her grandson across the courtroom.
"I love my grandson. I love him very much. But I will not lie for him, or any of my children," she said.
Ms Goodwin said she found Mrs Heron's evidence to be impressive and reliable.
"Even without the evidence of the admissions, the [police] tracking and surveillance evidence ... is powerful and, in my view, overwhelming."
The magistrate rejected the evidence of Staples' mother, Jennifer Carter, who had told the court any number of family or friends could have been driving the cars spotted at the scenes of the fires.
Mrs Carter said she was taking prescribed Stilnox tablets in January 2011 and she would sometimes drive to friends' houses and have no memory of doing so later.
At the time she said she was having delusions of being in the Wizard of Oz.
The magistrate said she may sentence Staples later on Thursday, and he may face a jail term.
