A MAN suspected of a £30,000-plus arson at a North Yorkshire pub allegedly tried to mislead police with a computer file, a jury heard.

Prosecution barrister Paul Williams said that firefighters put out three blazes in a single night at The New Inn, Barlby, while Anthony John Carson, 35, was living there.

The first was in its garage and two were in the pub's family room-cum-conservatory.

The third caused damage valued at more than £30,000.

Nearly three weeks later, Carson handed police a computer disc with a cryptic mystery message called: "A helping hand for the police". It contained clues designed to mystify detectives. Carson said it had been dropped through his letterbox, said Mr Williams at York Crown Court.

Mr Williams said a police computer expert had found a draft of the file on Carson's computer, time-dated before the creation of the copy given to police.

"It is quite clear the document was originally created on the PC that belonged to Carson. The PC was in his hands and the creation of it was simply a red herring by Anthony Carson to lead police away from him," said Mr Williams. Earlier he had alleged that when police interviewed Carson within hours of the fires, he had denied being responsible.

Carson, of Cawood Road, Wistow, denies arson.

Opening the prosecution, Mr Williams said that neighbours of the pub spotted a fire in its garage just past midnight on June 28, 2001, and knocked on Carson's window to try to wake him up.

He appeared from a side door asking what was up. Firefighters put the blaze out and said it could have been caused deliberately.

At 1.30am, neighbours spotted curtains burning in the conservatory. Again they alerted the defendant. Firefighters put the blaze out and later said the fire had started in three places and that its origin was "doubtful".

At 3.55am, neighbours spotted another fire in the conservatory and again alerted the fire brigade and Carson.

"This time the fire had taken hold and caused very severe damage, totalling more than £30,000," said Mr Williams.

On July 17, 2001, Carson phoned police at 3.55am to say that someone had knocked on his door and he had found a computer disc under his letter-box.

Police examined his computer and found a fragmented copy of the file on his hard-disc with spelling mistakes last edited at 1.30am that morning.

The disc's software was created at 3.19am the same morning and the file put on it at 3.21am, alleged Mr Williams.

The trial continues.

Updated: 11:13 Tuesday, June 10, 2003