Arson attack caused 70 job losses, court hears

An arson attack on a plastics factory in Cork caused over €6m in damage and resulted in 70 people losing their jobs.

Today the culprit was given a five-year jail sentence with two years suspended.

Jason Heaphy, aged 19, of 59 Kerryhall Road, near Fair Hill, Cork pleaded guilty almost a year ago to the arson attack at Keytech Ltd in the Sunbeam Industrial Estate, Commons Road, which occurred three years ago.

Heaphy said he had been on drugs at the time of the arson.

Heaphy said: "I know it is serious putting people out of work. I’m sorry for what I did.

"I did not mean it, I did not know what I was doing,” he said.

Judge Sean Ó Donnabháin said at Cork Circuit Criminal Court that it was an offence of the first rank of seriousness.

“It is of little consolation to 70 people who are now unemployed that you did not know what you were doing at the time,” the judge said.

Detective Garda Con O’Sullivan said forensic examination of the scene showed the fire was started at four separate locations on August 13, 2001.

He said 70 people were working there at the time and that all of the plant and machinery involved in the manufacture of plastic containers were destroyed.

The factory relocated to Little Island in January 2002 with a scaled down workforce but because they were never able to restore their customer list the firm went into liquidation in June 2003.

Heaphy had been given a chance to go on a drug rehabilitation course but got homesick and only lasted three days.