A 19-year-old woman will face court next month after allegedly setting fire to Kempsey’s community Christmas tree late last year.
The large council Christmas tree was destroyed in a blaze on Belgrave Street about 11:15pm on Wednesday, 3 December 2025.
Emergency services were called to the scene, where officers from the Mid North Coast Police District found the tree engulfed in flames.
Fire and Rescue NSW crews extinguished the blaze, but the tree could not be saved.
Police established a crime scene and launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fire.
Following extensive inquiries, a 19-year-old woman was charged on Tuesday, 27 October, with destroying property in company using fire, involving damage exceeding $5,000.
She was issued a court attendance notice to appear before Kempsey Local Court on Thursday, 19 November 2026.
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