Teen arson accused remanded on bail

A 16-year-old boy facing trial for an arson attack that caused €100,000 worth of damages and left a woman homeless has been remanded on bail.

Although the defendant is a juvenile, Judge Patrick McMahon held the case was too serious to be kept in the Children’s Court and should be sent on to the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, which can impose lengthier sentences.

The boy was remanded on bail to appear again in August when he is to be served with the book of evidence.

He had been charged at the Children’s Court with arson, at Loughlinstown Park, in south county Dublin, on June 16 last year.

Judge McMahon heard that the woman had left her home after she had been subjected to intimidation by local youths. After she moved out, her house was gutted by the fire set by the teenager and an accomplice.

A detective told Judge McMahon that “substantial damages” were caused, to the value of €100,000.

“The woman was intimidated by local youths causing her problems and she moved out.”

In the arson attack, the detective said: “Two seats were set on fire. It is my belief that this was to cause considerable damage.”

He agreed with defence solicitor Michelle Finan that the teenager had not been involved in the earlier intimidation campaign against the woman.

However, he said that as a result of the blaze the property was left in a bad state and “this lady is out of a house.”

The detective agreed that the teenager was co-operative with the garda investigation. However, he added that there were concerns over parental supervision of the boy and lack of discipline.

Defence solicitor Michelle Finan had pleaded with the judge not to send the case forward to the Circuit Court.

She said the teenager came from a family with “difficulties” and intended to plead guilty. He had been in care for a period but is now back with his family. The boy had spent most of his teens out of mainstream education but recently started a training course.

Ms Finan said that the teenager was frank with gardaí and in doing so had initiated the process of “restorative justice” and displayed empathy for his victim.

She described the boy, who remained silent during the proceedings in which he had been accompanied to court by his mother, as being “vulnerable”.

Judge McMahon said he had to take into consideration the “serious impact on the victim”, whom he said was “scared out of her wits ever to return to Loughlinstown”.