Birdy Bar’s Christopher Robert Hawe has been released on bail. Photo: File.
The owner of Wagga Wagga’s Birdy Bar has been granted police bail after being charged over a fire which significantly damaged the Baylis Street venue.
Christopher Robert Hawe, 42, has been charged with dishonestly, for gain, damaging property by fire or explosive.
According to NSW Police, he was arrested on Thursday afternoon (27 August), following the fire at Birdy Bar in the early hours of the same day.
At about 1.40 am on Friday, he was taken by NSW Ambulance to Wagga Wagga Base Hospital for a medical issue.
Following further consideration, he was granted strict conditional bail, whilst in hospital.
He is required to report to Wagga Wagga Police Station once a day on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays while on bail.
The matter was listed before Bail Court on Friday (August 28), but was not heard.
It has been re-listed for mention at Wagga Wagga Local Court on 28 October.
Judge Miranda Moody noted the Hawe matter was one of several listed to appear before her at a virtual bail court session on Friday.
“Why are there so many media representatives online?” she asked.
“My guess would be they are here for the Hawe matter, but that is not ready to proceed,” Wagga lawyer Malik Alzaim said.
The virtual court session was then derailed by several bizarre events during unrelated bail matters, none of which involved Mr Hawe.
A Moree woman appearing from jail stripped off all her clothes, exposing her breasts to the online gallery when asked the grounds for her bail application.
In another case, a Wagga man appearing in custody and accused of breaching bail had his reporting obligations increased and appeared to swear at the judge when exiting his cell.
“What a start, I’ve had someone naked and I’ve been called a piece of shit,” Judge Moody said.
Then, after a different Wagga man was granted bail for traffic offences, the audio captured men cheering loudly and saying words such as “yay, brother, home soon c***”.
It was unclear how this happened, as media and observers to virtual court have their audio muted.
Judge Moody called it “disgraceful” and asked her administrative staff to find out who it was and how it happened.
The fire broke out in the early hours of Thursday morning. Photo: Supplied.
Mr Hawe’s arrest occurred after emergency services were called to the Baylis St business at about 3:45 am after reports of a blaze.
Around 50 firefighters from Fire and Rescue NSW and the Rural Fire Service fought the fire, which caused significant damage to the inside of the venue.
Nearby residents were evacuated as a precaution, but there were no reports of injuries.
Police established a crime scene and launched an investigation into circumstances surrounding the fire.
Birdy Bar is a cocktail bar and tapas venue on Wagga Wagga’s Baylis St. It opened in 2023 and is known for its live music and garden area.
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