'It's pretty f*****': pair admit to roles in torching Tamworth home

Molly Lee, 21, and Taylor Jordan Jarrett, 22, have both pleaded guilty to intentionally or recklessly destroying a home by fire on Cossa Street, West Tamworth, following a lengthy police investigation.

The Queanbeyan woman and the Quirindi man pleaded guilty to the charge in Tamworth Local Court, admitting to acting as part of a joint criminal enterprise to torch the home at about 1:20am on May 3, 2022.

Lee and Jarrett were in a relationship at the time of the offence, and were living together in Tamworth.

A statement of agreed facts tendered to the court also reveals Lee drove Jarrett and three other men to the Cossa Street home in a silver Ford Falcon on the evening on May 2, 2022.

After arriving at the home, Lee stayed in the car and watched Jarrett and the other men force their way into the house.

"They had previously obtained screwdrivers and other items from other properties," the agreed facts state.

When Jarrett returned to the car Lee noticed the 22-year-old smelt of alcohol. According to the court documents, Jarrett told her he had bundled up clothing in one of the bedrooms, and set it on fire using alcohol as an accelerant.

Police patrolling the West Tamworth area at the time noticed smoke coming from Cossa Street and raced to the scene. Fire and Rescue NSW crews were called and extinguished the blaze.

Fire crews noted signs of forced entry, and police launched an investigation into the suspicious blaze.

According to the agreed facts, Lee did not believe Jarrett had actually started a fire, and returned to the home later in the day to check.

"Not really It's pretty f***** aye," Lee texted to another man who asked if there was anything left of the house.

Damage from the fire amounted to $371,451.09 of structural costs, and $54,075 for demolition, court documents show.

Following investigations, police reviewed CCTV which showed the Ford Falcon driving around the Coledale area, and travelling towards Cossa Street.

On January 12, 2023, more than six months after the West Tamworth home was torched, Lee fronted Queanbeyan Police Station at the request of police.

The agreed facts state Lee asked if Jarrett was in custody, and said "I'm not going down for this, he did it".

Jarret was arrested on March 23, 2023. Some of the details of the case cannot be reported for legal reasons.

Lee and Jarrett will be sentenced in Tamworth Local Court in March.

A third co-accused is also facing the charge, but has not yet entered a plea to the allegation.

The 20-year-old man remains before the court and is expected to reappear later this month.