A man suspected of setting a car on fire in Senglea last month is also a suspect in two other similar arson attacks, a court heard on Monday. 

Jesmond Cassar stands accused of setting a Toyota on fire in the early hours of the morning on January 19. He is pleading not guilty to charges. 

A person who was accused of being his accomplice admitted to the crime when he was charged last Friday, the court was told, with police having tracked him down after CCTV footage showed his green car at the arson scene.

Prosecuting Inspector Mario Xiberras told the court that officers at the crime scene immediately sensed that the Senglea arson bore similarities to two other arson attacks in Qormi and Zebbug, which Cassar is also suspected of. 

Investigators from the police Arsons Unit then focused their investigations on the 47-year-old unemployed man, closing in on him through the use of CCTV footage and call profile data. 

Cassar was tracked down in Marsa on Monday morning, arrested and arraigned within hours of his arrest. 

He pleaded not guilty to knowingly setting fire to the vehicle, wilful damage to third party property, breaching bail as well as recidivism. 

His lawyer, Daniel Attard, did not put forward a request for bail at the arraignment stage and the accused was remanded in custody. 

Inspectors Mario Xiberras and Jeffrey Scicluna prosecuted.vLawyer Daniel Attard was defence counsel.