Mr Daniel Kelly, aged 24, with an address at Tulla, Capparoe, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, pleaded guilty to arson, causing €77,500 worth of damage, at Ennis Circuit Criminal Court this week. The damage, which was caused in February 2015, referred to a barn and farm machinery on the property of Mr Patrick Scanlan, Garraunboy, Killaloe, Co. Clare.
A co-accused named as Mr Cathal Griffin, aged 26, of Wilton, Ballymackey, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary also pleaded guilty to the theft of property valued at €3,800. All together item found missing included power hoses, a quantity of electric fencing, electric tools, solid fuel and a chainsaw.
The fire destroyed two attached farm buildings, together with housed farm machinery, including two silage trailers (€30,000), one fertiliser spreader (€4,000), one silage spreader (€2,500), and new tractor tyres.
The victim of the crime, Mr Scanlan, explained that a number of tools and equipment, valued at some €6,000 had also been stolen, including an angle grinder and approximately six bags of coal. While some of these items had been recovered; there remained a debt of €2,000 outstanding.
Gardaí identified Mr Kelly as the person responsible, having recovered a number of the stolen items from an other individual, who had received them from the accused. Co-accused Mr Griffin was identified from a silver Nissan Micra car used and recorded on CCTV.
Justice Mr Gerald Keys reserved his judgement in the case and adjourned sentencing to April 25th next.
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