A 39-YEAR-OLD Nowra man charged with setting fire to his parents’ house, while his father was in hospital in Sydney being treated for a broken neck, has pleaded not guilty in Nowra Local Court.
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David Robert John Cluff was charged with intentionally or recklessly damaging property by fire or explosion.
The court heard between 3pm and 6pm on August 7, Cluff intentionally destroyed the property owned by his parents Rex and Carol Cluff at 11 Cavanagh Lane, West Nowra by means of fire.
The home was valued at around $900,000 and was gutted by blaze.
At the time the couple were at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney, where Mr Cluff has been a patient for seven months after breaking his neck in a car accident in February.
The last 12 months have been extremely hard for the family, with Mrs Cluff diagnosed with a heart condition, Mr Cluff with terminal prostate cancer nine months ago and then the accident seven months ago which left him a quadriplegic.
Cluff appeared before Magistrate Dr Gabriel Fleming in Nowra Local Court on Monday. His bail was continued and he will reappear in Nowra Local Court on December 8.