15-year term for den fire manslaughter of boy

The man convicted of causing the death of a boy 13 years ago by setting a children’s makeshift den on fire yesterday received a 15-year prison sentence.

Stephen Hughes was 12 years old in 2001 when he died in the fire in the den where he had been sleeping overnight.

Dermot Griffin, aged 54, of Ballyfermot Rd, Ballyfermot, Dublin, had pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to manslaughter at Rossfield Avenue, Tallaght on September 1, 2001.

Last month, a jury found him guilty by majority verdict. Yesterday Judge Patricia Ryan backdated a prison term of 15 years to November 2012, when Griffin was taken into custody. Judge Ryan said she was taking into account the “very, very serious nature” of the offence, the effect of the crime on the victim’s family and his mother’s victim impact statement.

In that statement, read to the court, Elizabeth Hughes said that her whole family have lived with the “unbelievable pain” of losing her first-born son.

“He was a beautiful bright ray of sunshine. He was just a child. The last 13 years will always be the longest and saddest I have endured. I pray that from today my son will be able to rest in peace knowing that justice has finally been done.”

Speaking after the sentence, Ms Hughes said she is finally able to say that her son has received justice.

Bernard Condon, defending, said his client is a father of four who was a heroin addict at the time of the offence. He submitted this was not a case of an intentional act of killing someone.

Daryl Hall, who was aged 14 at the time, described how he scrambled out of the burning hut and tried in vain to rescue his friend.

Speaking outside the Courts of Criminal Justice, the victim’s mother said: “We are very happy with today’s sentencing and I would like to thank Tallaght gardaí for all their hard work on the case over the past 13 years.

“We’ll never forget Stephen. It’s been 13 long years. It’s over now. Stephen can rest in peace.”

Superintendent Peter Duff also thanked the witnesses, who were involved in what he said was “a long and protracted investigation”.