Damien Linnane was only charged by Armidale detectives last week over a string of targeted incidents dating back to November last year, after fresh evidence came to light in June, sparking his arrest.

In Armidale Local Court yesterday morning, the 29-year-old pleaded guilty to four charges, including being armed with intent to commit an indictable offence after threatening a man with a replica firearm at a hotel in Marsh St on March 27.

“This is a very serious matter on a number of fronts,” Magistrate Michael Holmes told the court yesterday after reading the facts of the case.

“I’m surprised there are not other charges, but that’s a matter for the police.”

Armidale detectives honed in on Linnane in recent weeks after they received information from the public to suggest a house fire in Ash Tree Dr in the early hours of November 29, was suspicious.

Linnane yesterday admitted to deliberately lighting the blaze which destroyed the house in the early hours of the morning.

He will also be sentenced on two counts of malicious damage after he slashed the tyres on separate vehicles in Armidale during February and March.

Investigators raided two properties connected to Linnane in Armidale last week, where several items of interest were seized.

Mr Holmes said the matters were “particularly serious” but he couldn’t understand why the DPP had not taken the case to the district court for sentencing.

“Prosecutor, I’m at a loss as to why its not being sent somewhere else,” he told the court.

“It’s just a very serious set of facts.”

Solicitor Rod Kennedy said his client worked in the health system but requested an adjournment to compile medical evidence and obtain a pre-sentence background report into the offending.

Linnane remains on bail and will be sentenced in September.