An alleged arson attempt on her home followed months of harassment by her former partner, a woman claimed in the Queenstown District Court yesterday.
The alleged offending on July 3 last year occurred against a backdrop of harassment, the former partner of the accused said.
Over several months, her car was repeatedly vandalised, a window at her home was smashed and fishing twine was strung across the driveway twice, once across the top of some steps, she told the court.
Michael John Malone (53), a consultant, of Hedgehope, in Southland, has denied charges of assaulting a man in a bar, attempted arson of his former partner's home, burglary and wilful trespass at her home, all at Queenstown on July 3.
The defended hearing began before Judge Mark Callaghan in the Queenstown District Court yesterday and concludes today.
She had been in a relationship with Malone for 18 months, until June 2015.
She believed Malone was responsible for vandalism of her property since then and complained to police.
He was warned about harassment and trespassed from the property. Police installed a motion sensor camera at her home.
On July 3, she was at a bar with a male friend.
Her friend, whose name was suppressed, was allegedly assaulted by Malone. They told the bouncer what had happened and carried on to another bar before going back to her home at 4am.
They noticed her oven was going "full blast'' with a singed tea towel inside.
Pots containing plants had been broken and a bottle of her whisky was found at the end of the driveway, she said.
Police viewed CCTV footage from the bar and photos from the camera set up at her home.
The photos revealed a person she believed was Malone, smashing pot plants, walking up the driveway carrying her cat and holding a bottle of alcohol. None of her flatmates resembled Malone, and nor did the alleged assault victim, she said.
The alleged victim gave evidence of saying hello to Malone at the bar, being pushed off-balance by him, landing on his back and hitting his head on a stool.
"I was amazed by his reaction, as I hadn't provoked him.''
He denied calling Malone a "loser'' before the incident.
Detective Grant Miller interviewed the defendant, who was wearing clothes similar to the person in the photos.
In the interview, Malone said the person photographed looked "remarkably like me'' but was not him. He had gone home earlier that evening and had not visited her home.
Defence counsel Roger Eagles asked Det Miller about the attempted arson charge.
"I put it to you that anything burning inside a closed oven is actually quite safe,'' Mr Eagles said.
No expert evidence was being called on how long it would take a tea towel to combust inside an oven, Det Miller said.
Malone said he "avoided'' her after she complained of harassment. He had nothing to do with any incidents at her home, he said.
On July 3, he visited several bars, sporting a brown temporary tattoo on the left side of his face.
