Man jailed for 'act of desecration and sacrilege' to mummified remains at St Michan's Church

The remains were described to the court as 'irreplaceable' and 'priceless'

The entrance to the crypt of St Michan's Church. File Picture: Leah Farrell

A man who set a fire in the crypt of St Michan's Church in Dublin, which caused damage to mummified remains, has been jailed for six years.

Archdeacon David Pierpoint described the fire in the church's crypt as “an act of desecration and sacrilege” in a victim impact statement during the sentencing hearing of Cristian Topiter, aged 39, who had pleaded guilty to arson. Topiter appeared via video link at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on Thursday.

The court heard that St Michan's Church's crypt holds mummified remains, including 'the Crusader', which dates back 800 years. These remains were described to the court by Diana Stuart, prosecuting, as “irreplaceable” and “priceless”.

Topiter came forward on signed guilty pleas from the District Court to a charge of arson on June 11 last.

The court heard that Topiter of Grand Canal House, Lower Rathmines Road, Dublin 6, has a previous conviction for arson from the North, in which €300,000 worth of damage was caused to a building. He also has previous convictions for possession of drugs, burglary, theft and common assault.

Archdeacon Pierpoint said the mummified remains had been preserved for hundreds of years by natural means and many tourists visited the church, providing annual revenues of between €75,000 to €100,000.

He said there have been no tours since the fire, which has resulted in a “financial crisis” for the parish as the funds go to maintain the church, which was built in 1192. He also outlined the emotional and mental impact on him and his parishioners.

He described what had occurred as a loss not only for the parish but for Dublin and the nation.

We are the custodians of the human remains in the crypt. We have the privilege and burden to ensure such remains are passed onto the generations to come.

He said two of the mummies had been “burnt beyond recognition” while the water used to put out the fire had caused damage to others. He said this was “unavoidable” as the priority was to extinguish the fire.

The Archdeacon told the court the parish would seek approval from Dublin City Council to exhume the damaged remains and “have them re-interred into another vault which will be closed to everyone”.

Apology

Oisin Clarke, defending, said his client is remorseful, ashamed, embarrassed and recognises the impact of his actions. Topiter has addiction issues and, on the day in question, had been drinking heavily and had also taken tablets. 

Topiter has limited recollection of what happened. Mr Clarke said there was “no sinister motive” or animosity towards the church behind his client's actions, but it “just happened to be where he was at the time”.

Counsel said his client's objective was “not to cause damage” that day. He outlined his client has longstanding mental health difficulties. Topiter has been in custody since his arrest and is doing well.

Mr Clarke noted his client has a similar conviction, but said this offending is “very different”.

Topiter read a letter to the court in which he apologised to the court and to the Irish public for “jeopardising a national relic”.

He said he took full responsibility for his actions and had been working to “create positive change” in his life while in custody.

Sentencing

Imposing sentence, Judge Martin Nolan described the offence as “very serious”. He said Topiter started the fire “for reasons only known to himself” and as a result, “ancient relics were damaged, if not destroyed”.

He said Topiter's relevant conviction was an aggravating factor. The judge said a characteristic of fire is its unpredictability, and when it is started, a person doesn't know what damage it may cause.

He said it was “no great excuse” that Topiter was intoxicated at the time, noting that “for whatever reason when he’s insensible, he decides to start fires”. “That seems to be a particular vice”.

He noted there is mitigation including Topiter's signed guilty plea, his background and personal circumstances.

Judge Nolan said Topiter caused “considerable damage” and the court considered it a “serious matter”. Judge Nolan backdated the six-year sentence to June 11 last, when Topiter went into custody.

In the victim impact statement, Archdeacon Pierpoint said the incident had also had a mental and emotional effect on him and his parishioners, but the “outpouring of revulsion” both nationally and internationally had been of “great emotional support to me and to parishioners”.

He said that contact from government officials and a letter from the President had “meant so much at a difficult time for the parish”.