Jakob Rhoge Offer: Alleged Castletown arsonist pleads not guilty, says he does not want a lawyer

A man accused of lighting two separate fires in Castletown says he does not want a lawyer and will defend himself in front of a District Court jury against the charges. Jakob Rhoge Offer, 24, dismissed legal representation and continued to say he did not want a lawyer despite being asked repeatedly by Kalgoorlie Magistrates Court magistrate William Yoo during his appearance on Thursday. Mr Offer spoke over the videolink from Eastern Goldfields Regional Prison, stating he “didn’t do it” when the two wilfully lit fire likely to injure or damage charges were read to him before pleading not guilty. While details of the allegations were not read in court on Thursday, a police Facebook post previously stated one of the fires was lit in bushland on Hastings Crescent and Mondrain Avenue in Castletown about 7.20am on February 5. A second fire was allegedly lit about 10.10am that same day in bushland bordering Goldfields Road, Daw Drive and Ormonde Street. The post stated both fires were able to be extinguished before they spread to nearby homes. Despite Mr Yoo expressing his concern on Thursday that Mr Offer did not understand the seriousness of the allegations against him, Mr Offer continued to say he did not want legal representation. When asked why, Mr Offer said he did not “trust any of them”. Mr Yoo also asked if Mr Offer understood that meant he would represent himself in front of a jury in the District Court as the matters would need to be committed to that court and he said “yes”. A burglary with intent charge relating to the ANZ in Esperance will also be committed to the District Court after Mr Offer told the court he would plead guilty, stating “I couldn’t wait for the money to go through so I tried to smash it to hurry it up and they are saying that’s a robbery”. Mr Yoo only indicated the plea of guilty instead of formally entering it because he did not think Mr Offer truly understood the seriousness of the situation. Mr Offer also pleaded guilty to charges of assault occasioning bodily harm, stealing and criminal damage, which he claimed related to “just a normal fight” with his friend. The matters will be back before the court in May.