Christmas Day fire at Cork City house caused €100k worth of damage, court told

A garda told the court that four people were in the house at the time

Diarmuid Kelleher, solicitor for the accused man Shane Casey, indicated that the accused would be applying to the High Court for bail. File picture: Larry Cummins

€100,000 damage was done to a house in Cork City on Christmas Day as four people were inside, it emerged during an arson case at Cork District Court on Wednesday.

Sergeant John Kelleher said fire damage to the house on Dyke Parade on December 25, 2023, amounted to €100,000. Sgt Kelleher applied for an adjournment of the case so that directions could be obtained from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Diarmuid Kelleher, solicitor for the accused man Shane Casey, indicated that the accused would be applying to the High Court for bail. Judge Mary Dorgan remanded Mr Casey in custody until May 8.

Judge Dorgan told the accused that if he was successful in getting High Court bail he should appear in Cork District Court in person.

In relation to the arson charge it was alleged that he set fire to the house and stood outside swinging a blade when the first person ran from the burning building, telling him: “You are going to die here tonight.” These were the allegations made by Detective Garda Brian Barron in the case. 

It was alleged by Det. Garda Barron that 32-year-old Shane Casey, of 168 Shanowen, Rathcormac, Co Cork, turned up outside the house on Dyke Parade, Cork, just after 6pm on December 25, 2023. Four people were present in the house.

“At 6.05pm, he exits and stands looking in the open front door at the fire taking hold. At 6.06pm, it is alleged that he closes the front door and attempts to barricaded the front door from the outside, using a piece of timber to jam to the side and then under the door.

“It is alleged he takes a blade from his pocket and holds it out in front of him and waits outside. At 6.08pm, the front door bursts open and [one of the men] attempts to escape the now blazing house.

"It was alleged he said (to one injured party), 'My name is Shane Casey and you remember me from two days ago — you are going to die here tonight.'” 

It was further alleged that one woman had to be rescued from the roof and that it took six units of the fire service more than six hours to bring the fire under control and make the building safe and the fire caused thousands of euro in damage, the detective said.