Man appears in court charged with arson following bus fire in Harehills disorder
A double-decker bus was destroyed by a fire on Thursday night (July 18)
A man has appeared in court charged with arson and violent disorder, following a fire on a bus in Harehills.
Iustin Dobre, 37, of Leeds, was charged with setting a bus on fire by standing next to it with a lighter during the disorder in Harehills on Thursday evening.
On Monday he appeared at Leeds Magistrates Court charged with violent disorder and arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered.
The court heard he intendeds to deny the charges.
Prosecutor Diane Rawnsley said: "On July 18 there was large scale public disorder in Harehills triggered by social services' involvement with a family."
The court heard father-of-two Dobre, who followed proceedings through a Romanian interpreter, was arrested at a bus stop on Friday afternoon, the day after the disorder.
District Judge Tim Capstick told him: "These two offences you are charged with are serious allegations. One can only be dealt with at the crown court."
He was remanded in custody until his next appearance at Leeds Crown Court on August 19.