Man who started fires at hospital and train station sentenced

A homeless man who started fires at St James Hospital, Heuston Station and James Street causing the evacuation of the station and cancellation of the Luas has been given a seven-year sentence.

Denis Miles (aged 31) has been in custody since his arrest in October 2007 and had the balance of the sentence suspended from today on strict conditions.

Miles, of no fixed abode, has a severe speech impediment and started the fires “to get the upset out”.

The Fire Brigade found a homeless person sleeping in a fridge in an unused building where Miles started his last fire.

Miles, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three counts of arson at St James Hospital, Heuston Station and James Street on dates in September and October 2007. He has a previous conviction for arson.

Judge Katherine Delahunt imposed a seven years sentence which she back dated to October 2007 but suspended the balance of the sentence on condition that Miles liaise with The Probation Service and Focus Ireland, who are arranging accommodation and support services for Miles.

She also ordered that he attend anger management and drug rehabilitation courses as well as engage with the psychiatric services and follow a specific medication plan if appropriate.

Judge Delahunt commended the “amazing” work of Focus Ireland in arranging multidisciplinary services and accommodation for Miles.

Garda Paul Cornish told Ms Cathleen Noctor BL, prosecuting, that three fires were set in St James Hospital on September 25, 2007. He said he did not have the figures for the damage caused at the hospital.

The first, in a waste bin outside the Chief Executive Officers Building, was quickly extinguished by staff. The second in the male toilets on the main hospital concourse did not take off and was also extinguished.

He said the third fire, in a waste bin outside the Regional Orthodontic Department, had to be extinguished by the Fire Brigade and the gas had to be turned off as the fire was near a gas line.

Gda Cornish said a fire started in the male toilets of Heuston Station on October 4, 2007 caused extensive damage, costing €11,500 to repair and necessitating the evacuation of the building.

He said Miles was identified on CCTV at the location of all four fires and arrested on October 10, 2007.

He admitted setting the two fires in the external waste bins at St James Hospital but said he not been aware that a cigarette he had discarded in the male toilets at the hospital had also started a fire.

Miles also admitted starting the fire at Heuston Station. He told gardaí that he had been upset and agitated and had lit the fires “to get the upset out of me”.

He said it had not been his intention to try and burn the station down.

Miles was released on bail pending a file on the matter being sent to The Director of Public Prosecutions.

Gda Cornish said that the following day a fire started in an unused listed building on St James Street which homeless people used to sleep in.

He said the roof became unstable and the Luas rail system which ran nearby had to be halted for some time. He said the owners of the building had not yet supplied quotes for repair.

He said the fire “could have been much worse” as the Fire Brigade discovered a homeless man sleeping in a fridge in the building as it was being cleared.

Miles came to the garda station that morning in a distressed state and admitted starting the fire. He said his Social Welfare money had gone missing and he was upset because it was his birthday and he had no money.

He said he had slept the previous night in the Phoenix Park and the next morning had gone to the building where he sometimes slept. He said he put a match to a dustbin bag because he was “upset in himself”.

Gda Cornish agreed with defence counsel, Mr Luán Ó Braonáin SC, that Miles had a severe speech impediment which lead to a sense of isolation and frustration.

He agreed Miles was extremely remorseful and almost had the demeanour of a child during interview.

Mr Ó Braonáin said Miles and his mother had returned to Ireland from the United Kingdom when he was a child following the break-up of his parents relationship.

He said he spent time in “special schools” and after an incident in his childhood he began to exhibit an interest in fire.