A woman has appeared in court accused of intimidating a witness in an ongoing criminal investigation by setting fire to her Whitehaven flat.
Lynsey Ogni, 44, faces a number of charges, including assaulting a woman on April 2 this year.
It is also alleged that knowing the same woman was helping in the investigation of an offence, Ogni set fire to her address this Tuesday, September 2, intending to intimidate and cause that investigation to be obstructed, perverted or interfered with.
Ogni has also been charged with arson, and intending by the damage to endanger the life of another.
Ogni, of Queen Street, Whitehaven, appeared at Carlisle magistrates’ court this morning.
During a five-minute hearing, she spoke from the dock to confirm her name, address and date of birth.
No pleas were entered to any of the charges that she faces, including a fourth allegation of obstructing a police officer in the execution of his duty on April 2.
A second defendant, 41-year-old Ronnie Wallace, of no fixed address, jointly faces the arson charge.
Wallace appeared in front of magistrates this morning separately from his co-accused.
Giving a short outline to magistrates, prosecutor Diane Jackson alleged that a fire had been started outside the living room window of the woman’s ground floor flat at around 10.30pm.
“Other residents of the block of flats called the police,” said Mrs Jackson. “They acted quickly. They put the fire out. It caused damage to the window.”
Ogni and Wallace had their cases sent to Carlisle Crown Court, where they are both due to appear in front of a judge for a plea and trial preparation hearing on October 6.
In the meantime both defendants have been remanded in custody. No applications were made for bail by their respective solicitors.
