Two drug addicts remanded in fire-damage case
Two drug addicts who caused fire damage totalling almost €324,000 after burgling a house have been remanded in custody for sentence by Judge Donagh McDonagh at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Shane Foster (aged 24) of Cromcastle Court, Coolock and Anthony Kinsella (aged 26) of Corcoron’s Terrace, Ballina but formerly from East Wall, Dublin 3, pleaded guilty to burglary and causing criminal damage at Rosemount, Malahide Road on October 3, 2005.
Ms Caroline Biggs BL, for Foster, submitted that he was "a very troubled person" who had in recent times attempted suicide by hanging and later by cutting his wrists but had been saved each time by passer-by.
Ms Biggs said Foster had been sexually abused by his father who also brutally beat another of his sons, leaving him blind in one eye and deaf in one ear. His father was then killed by Foster’s uncle who was given a life sentence for murder and died of a drugs overdose.
Counsel added that Foster had a difficult relationship with his mother and had no contact with or support from his siblings. He had not intended to commit arson in the house and pleaded guilty right away to the charge.
The house they burgled was burned to the ground at a cost of €209,393 and the adjoining premises suffered smoke damage costing €114,502. Both houses were restored through insurance and are again being lived in.
Detective Garda Grainne McDonnell told prosecuting counsel, Mr Gareth Baker BL, that the owner of the burned-out house who lived alone returned to find he had nothing left but the clothes on his back.
The alarm had been raised by a 87-year-old man returning from Mass who made sure that an elderly woman living next door in the smoke-damaged house got out safely.
Foster and Kinsella had picked out his house at random to search for money but recklessness with a gas can started off the blaze. "When the gaff went up we got frightened and left," they told gardaí.
They were arrested as a result of fingerprints from the burned-down house and confidential information received by gardaí.
Det. Gda McDonnell agreed with Ms Tara Connell BL, for Kinsella, that he offered "to pay as much as I can" when shown photographs of the damage done. He was very remorseful for his role in the crime and added: "It was a very stupid thing to do."
Ms Connell submitted earlier that Kinsella committed the crime during a short relapse to heroin abuse. He had been a heroin addict who cleaned himself through going "cold turkey" until this relapse. He had since cleaned himself of drugs again and was living with his mother in Mayo to stay away from Dublin sources of temptation.
Judge McDonagh remanded both in custody and directed that urine analyses and governor’s report be prepared for their sentence hearing later.
"If drugs are still an issue then, don’t ask me for favours but if not there could be a different story," he said.
