THE man accused of starting a fire which destroyed three floors of a historic Cheshire wedding venue has been released on bail subject to a £50,000 surety.
Max Henry Kay, 36, of Waylands Drive, Hunts Cross, Liverpool, was arrested on June 19 after a fire at Peckforton Castle, near Tarporley, owned by the Naylor family.
Kay left Chester Crown Court at 12.45pm on Friday after three days of legal wrangling to secure his release.
Bail conditions include:
Joanna Shields shall stand as surety in the sum of £50,000.
He shall live and sleep each night at his home address.
He will be subject to a daily tagged curfew from 9pm to 6am.
He is not to enter within a 10-mile radius of Peckforton Castle.
He must report to St Anne Street Police Station daily between 5pm and 6pm.
He must remain in England or Wales and not apply for a passport or equivalent travel document.
He must not contact directly or indirectly any member of the Naylor family or staff at Peckforton Castle, nor contact to discuss the case any person who becomes a prosecution witness, except approaches by properly appointed legal representatives by prior notice of the prosecution.
In addition, his identical twin brother Richard Kay must surrender his passport to police. The passport will not be returned to him without prior written consent of the senior investigating officer in the case.
The bail application was initially heard in closed court by Judge Stephen Clarke last Wednesday morning.
This, and subsequent hearings, were attended by family members including Kay’s wife Stephanie – wearing her wedding ring – and his twin brother.
The hearing was adjourned until the afternoon but, as an agreement still had not been reached, it was delayed again until 2pm the next day.
Kay was then brought to the court in custody on Friday morning, when an agreement was finally reached to secure his release.
Clutching a packet of cigarettes with his belongings in a carrier bag, Kay left the court buildings – before being reunited with his wife for the first time since their wedding night.
Kay must return to Chester Crown Court on Tuesday, July 26, for a plea and case management hearing.
