Student gets two years detention for €29,000 arson

A student who caused almost €29,000 worth of damage when he set fire to a primary school classroom "just out of boredom" has been given two years detention.

The then 17-year-old, who got 10 A grades in his Junior Certificate, also covered the walls of the classroom with various graffiti, including his name.

Later the same evening he went "drunk and intoxicated" to the local garda station and said he had information about the fire. "I did it," he said, the court heard.

David Downey, aged 18, of Ballyfermot Avenue, pleaded guilty to setting fire to a class room at St Raphael’s National School, Kylemore Road, Ballyfermot on April 29, 2003.

Sergeant Denis Smith told prosecuting counsel, Mr Colm O Briain BL, that the caretaker at the school had noticed the fire at around 6.30 am on April 30, 2003. When Dublin Fire Brigade put out the blaze it had caused €28,533 worth of damage to a classroom and its furniture.

Sgt Smith said Downey was too intoxicated to be interviewed when he confessed to the crime on the evening of April 30, 2003 and was hospitalised for the night before being brought back to the Ballyfermot Garda Station the following morning.

Downey said he had gone to the school around 8.30 p.m. on April 29, 2003 and tried to set the classroom on fire using books.

When they didn’t burn properly he went outside and got a wooden pallet which he added to the fire.

He said he had drunk about nine or eight cans of beer before doing it. When gardaí asked him why he had done it he replied, "Just boredom."

Ms Geraldine Small BL, for Downey, said her client had a serious alcoholic problem as indicated by his seven previous convictions, which were mostly for intoxication in public places.

Judge Desmond Hogan said he was taking into consideration Downey’s achievements, his age and his alcoholism but he had to serve a sentence for his actions which, he said, "could have had disastrous consequences".