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Criminal caused €40k in damage after setting fire to stolen car
Summary
Gareth Quinn, 33, was sentenced to one year in prison for setting fire to a stolen BMW X5 and two other parked cars, causing €40,000 in damage. The incident occurred on 9 August 2015 when Quinn, under the influence of alcohol, crashed the BMW into a parked Audi TT and then attempted to dislodge it for 10–15 minutes before igniting the vehicle with a cigarette lighter. The fire spread to an Audi A4 and a Fiat Punto. Quinn, who has 71 prior convictions, pleaded guilty to unlawful use of the BMW and arson. The sentence is consecutive to his existing four‑year term for unlawful taking of a car, which began in April 2019. The court noted Quinn's intoxication and frustration as the motive for the arson. The case was heard at the Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court and the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The judge imposed the additional year of imprisonment, extending Quinn's current custodial period.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Criminal caused €40k in damage after setting fire to stolen car. Charges or matters: unlawful use of a BMW X5 SUV and arson of three other vehicles at Reuben Avenue, Rialto on August 9, 2015. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- May 2019 Hearing Or Sentence
- August 9, 2015 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2016-11-03 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: unlawful use of a BMW X5 SUV and arson of three other vehicles at Reuben Avenue, Rialto on August 9, 2015 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Quinn, who has 71 previous convictions, will begin the sentence in May 2019 at the end of a current four-year sentence for unlawful taking of a car imposed in April by Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Nolan said there had to be an extension to Quinn's current stay in prison and imposed a one year jail term consecutive to his current sentence.
Places mentioned
- Moorfield Avenue
- Dublin
- Reuben Avenue
- Reuben Avenue
Topics
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