Man charged over petrol bomb attack on home

A man has been charged with committing reckless endangerment and criminal damage following a petrol bomb attack on a Waterford house which left three children injured.

Gregory Hennessy, aged 23, of 66 Priory Lawn, Waterford, was brought before a special sitting of the local district court on Saturday afternoon after being charged in the early hours of that morning.

He was remanded in custody and his solicitor asked the court that a recommendation go to the governor of the remand prison that the accused be placed in protective custody.

Mr Hennessy was taken by Garda car to the courthouse in Waterford shortly before 1pm. Members of the Garda Regional Support unit were in the vicinity of the building, while up to 10 gardaí were present in court for the brief remand hearing.

The accused consulted with his solicitor Kenny Cunningham in a separate room before the proceedings got under way before Judge Gerard Furlong.

Detective Sergeant Siobhan Keating told the court that she arrested and charged Mr Hennessy at Waterford Garda Station and he made no reply to either of the charges.

Mr Cunningham applied for free legal aid, telling the court his client is “not in gainful employment” at the moment.

There was no application for bail.

Mr Cunningham also asked that Mr Hennessy be medically assessed on arrival in prison “for an underlying condition” and that a request go to the prison governor that his client be assessed as a candidate for protective custody.

Inspector Anthony Dineen said such a move “would be most appropriate in the circumstances”.

Judge Furlong said it was “a matter for the governor” of the prison but agreed to make the recommendations.

He remanded Mr Hennessy in custody to appear again before Waterford District Court this Tuesday.

The accused is charged with reckless endangerment by allegedly throwing a petrol bomb through the sitting room window of 46 Ardmore Park, Ballybeg, Waterford, on Thursday night, “which created a substantial risk of death or serious harm to another”.

He is also charged with committing criminal damage by fire to the sitting room and contents of the house.

Roisin Halligan, aged 11, underwent surgery in Cork University Hospital as a result of injuries sustained in the petrol bomb attack on Thursday. Her one-year-old cousin Lexie and three-month-old cousin William were treated at University Hospital Waterford after suffering injuries in the incident at their the house of their grandmother, Nellie Halligan.