Man, 39, charged with arson over fire at estate

A 39-year-old man has been charged with arson in connection with a blaze which went out of control and gutted six terraced houses in Kildare.

Daragh Ward, of Millfield Manor, Newbridge, Co. Kildare, was remanded in custody by Judge Grainne O’Neill who recommended that he should get psychiatric treatment.

Gardaí and firefighters attended the scene on Tuesday when houses at Millfield Manor had to be evacuated at about 4pm.

Six houses, including Mr Ward’s home, were extensively damaged and personal belongings destroyed, but no injuries were reported and the scene was preserved for a technical examination.

Mr Ward was arrested after he presented himself at Celbridge Garda Station on Tuesday. He was transferred to Newbridge Garda Station and held under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984. He was subsequently charged with causing criminal damage by fire to a neighbouring house, No 65 Millfield Manor.

The 39-year-old was brought before Judge O’Neill at Dublin District Court yesterday.

Det Garda Maeve Ward of Newbridge station told Judge O’Neill that Mr Ward was charged on Wednesday night and was cautioned that anything he would say would be taken down and used in evidence.

“I gave him a true copy of the charge and he made no reply,” Det Garda Ward said, adding that she was asking the court to remand him in custody. David Gibbons, defending, said he was not making an application for bail.

Mr Ward, dressed in black hooded top, navy tracksuit bottoms, and runners, sat silently through the brief hearing.

Judge O’Neill remanded him in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court on April 8. Mr Gibbons said he might be in a position to address the issue of bail then.

The judge asked if Mr Ward required any attention and the defence lawyer asked that his client get “appropriate psychiatric and medical treatment while in custody”. The judge agreed to make the recommendation and also asked if an application for free legal aid was being made.

Mr Gibbons said his client has been working but “it is likely to be the case that he will be without an income going forward. He has taken a certain amount of leave, I am not quite sure when that is going to run out.”

The issue of whether legal aid will be granted was deferred.

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