Man jailed for setting fire to his family home

A former hospital porter who attempted to commit suicide by setting fire to the council home he shared with his partner and four children has been given a four-year sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Daniel Long (aged 43), had a drinking problem at the time and Judge Katherine Delahunt said at an earlier hearing that she did not accept a report before the court on that occasion which indicated he had not tested negative for alcohol since January 2007 was sufficient to prove he no longer abused drink.

She had adjourned sentencing so that his situation with alcohol could be confirmed but noted today that a Probation Report said his difficulties with alcohol were ongoing and he had now lost his job as a porter at Beaumont Hospital.

Judge Delahunt was informed at the previous hearing that Long had to provide random breath samples to Beaumont after he was told he would be fired if he continued to abuse alcohol.

She said she accepted he had not intend to harm anyone else in setting the fire and imposed a four-year sentence with the final 18 months suspended on strict conditions, including that he attended an alcohol rehabilitation course.

Long pleaded guilty to arson of the house in Kilbarrack on February 10, 2006. The €59,570 worth of damage caused to the house had to be covered by Dublin City Council.

Garda Brian McKenna told prosecuting counsel, Ms Kathleen Noctor BL, that Long and his partner had a row around midday that day and she left with three of the four children to visit a neighbour. Later that evening her daughter called to the neighbour’s home to tell her mother their house was on fire.

Long was standing outside watching the fire when his partner arrived at the house. He was taken to hospital for treatment for smoke inhalation and while there he asked gardaí if the house was badly damaged.

He told gardaí that he didn't care about the fire and said he started it in an attempt to commit suicide. He said he intended to hurt himself and nobody else and added that he wouldn’t have done it if his partner or any of his children had been in the house.

Gda McKenna said Long put white spirits on curtains in a downstairs room before setting them alight. He then tried to pull the curtains down to stop the fire but was unsuccessful.

He left the house after he decided he didn’t want to die that way. Both the upstairs and downstairs of the house was badly damaged before Dublin Fire Brigade was able to get the fire under control.

Gda McKenna agreed with defence counsel, Mr Michael Bowman, BL, that although Long was no longer in a relationship with his partner they were on good terms and he had access to their four children.

He accepted that it took seven weeks for the house to be ready for the family again, during which time they had to stay with relatives and friends.

Gda McKenna further accepted that Long had a history of psychiatric and alcoholic difficulties and had to give random breath samples to Beaumont Hospital where he works as a porter.

Mr Bowman told Judge Delahunt that his client behaved recklessly that day and was very fortunate that nobody was put at risk.

He said Long has had suicidal tendencies from a young age and had difficulty coming to terms with what he had done to his family.