Dillon Bolt, 31, of Zouch Street, Wellington, pleads guilty in Bathurst Court to lighting grass fire

Dillon Bolt, 31, of Zouch Street, Wellington, wrote to Bathurst Local Court to enter a written plea of guilty to setting fire to Crown property.

According to police documents before the court, Bolt was walking along the Mid Western Highway during the night of March 20, 2023 when he stopped and lit a fire on the side of the road with his cigarette lighter to keep warm.

A person driving by called triple-0 to report the fire and mentioned that Bolt - who was yet to be identified - was walking in the middle of the road.

Police said they went to the scene at about 10.15pm and saw the fire. It was about four kilometres away from the 100 kilometre sign heading into Blayney.

With windy conditions, three fire trucks tended to the fire that had spread to 100 metres and was on the edge of private property.

The person who first reported the blaze went back and spoke with police to explain Bolt was further up the road, according to the police documents.

Police said they spotted Bolt dressed in khaki shorts, a Tommy Hilfiger shirt and red Ralph Lauren hat about one kilometre away.

Police stopped and spoke with Bolt, who was stumbling and not making sense, according to the police documents.

After a search, police said they found Bolt had a lighter that he admitted to using to start the blaze.

Bolt told police he had used heroin the day before.

Aboriginal Legal Service solicitor Usman Naveed stood before Magistrate C Longley on May 31, 2023 on behalf of his client, when it was noted Bolt had recorded a written plea of guilty.

Bolt's matter was adjourned for sentence to June 20, 2023 in Wellington Local Court.

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