Accused asks for help with alcohol problems

A Corkman accused of setting fire to cars in his neighbourhood asked for help yesterday in dealing with his alcoholism and health problems and said prison was not the place for him.

John Heaphy, aged 61, of 59 Kerryhall Road, Fairhill, Cork, said yesterday: “There are voices in my head, I don’t know what I am doing, I don’t know what is going around me.”

Detective Garda Alan Johnson said it was alleged by the prosecution that five cars were set on fire and that they were all in residential areas making the fires potentially more dangerous in terms of damage and risk to life because of the proximity of houses.

Det Garda Johnson alleged that the accused could not account for his actions after alcohol, and said there was a strong likelihood he would commit further offences if granted bail.

Diarmuid Kelleher, solicitor, said: “He has very serious medical difficulties. He is on medication. Part of his difficulty is mixing alcohol with medication.

“In fairness to him, he did not apply for bail when brought to court last Friday. He accepted he had to go into custody to get his head in order.

“He is prepared to go into residential treatment immediately.”

Mr Heaphy asked the judge to send him to the psychiatric unit of a hospital for treatment.

Judge O’Leary said that would be a matter for a doctor, not a judge.

However, he put the bail application back for a week — or sooner if Mr Heaphy’s doctor is available to come to court — to consider the possibility of releasing him for treatment.

Mr Heaphy said: “If I continue the way I was continuing, the doctor told me I would not live until Christmas.”

Mr Heaphy faces five counts of arson. The most recent charge relates to last Sunday, June 1, where he is charged with setting fire to a 99-registered Ford saloon car in Fairhill.

He is also charged with setting fire to an 06-registerd Volkswagen Passat the previous day, also in Fairhill.

Thirdly, he is charged with burning a 99-registred Honda Civic at French’s Villas, again last Saturday.

The fourth charge dates back to May 21 at Fairhill, where he is charged with the arson of a 98-registered Nissan Micra.

The final charge is one of damaging a 00-registered Toyota Yaris by fire between May 15 and 16 at Kerryhall Road.

The case was put back until June 17 but it may be dealt with sooner.