Moldovan arsonist guilty of €2.7m fire loses appeal

THE Court of Criminal Appeal has rejected appeals brought by a Moldovan man against both his conviction and eight-year prison sentence for starting a fire that caused €2.7 million worth of damage in a Co Cork town.

In May 2007 Vladimir Raspopov, aged 36, originally from Moldova, but with an address at North Quay Place, Pope’s Quay, Cork, was convicted of five counts of arson in Skibbereen, Co Cork, on April 9, 2006, at Cork Circuit Court.

The blaze gutted the landmark Church Restaurant in the town and caused substantial damage to a number of adjacent premises.

Judge Con Murphy sentenced Raspopov to eight years concurrent for each of the five counts of arson which the accused denied. He appealed both the severity of the sentence and his conviction.

Yesterday the three judge Court of Criminal Appeal of Mr Justice Hugh Geoghegan, sitting with Mr Justice John MacMenamin and Mr Justice Bryan McMahon dismissed both appeals.

In arguing that the conviction should be set aside, John Aylmer SC, claimed that certain admissions made by Raspopov to gardaí after he was arrested were not immediately written down.

Raspopov’s admissions, which were written down later, were put before jurors during the trial. Counsel argued their inclusion had unfairly prejudiced his client.

In relation to sentence Mr Aylmer said that Judge Murphy had not given due weight to the fact that Raspopov is a married man, had no previous convictions and that being in prison is harder for a foreign national.

In rejecting both appeals Mr Justice Geoghegan said that while the court had some sympathy for Raspopov, as it was probable the offence was a once off, he had committed “a shocking crime”.

Mr Justice Geoghegan said the court could find nothing wrong with the conviction imposed on Raspopov. The court also said that it could find no error in the way Judge Murphy had approached before handing out an eight year sentence.

The court had heard that Raspopov, who was very drunk at the time was observed entering the restaurant. Forensic examinations showed the fire had been deliberately started, and eight gas cylinders had valves opened.