Courts / Dublin / Report

Arsonist who had acquittal overturned has "done the legal world some good", court hears

Summary

Anthony McDonnell, 26, pleaded guilty to arson after the Supreme Court overturned his 2014 acquittal. He set fire to a car in the car park of an apartment block, causing about €77,000 in building damage and destroying two cars. The original trial judge, Sarah Berkeley, had acquitted him because CCTV footage was deemed inadmissible and alleged admissions during Garda interviews were excluded. The Supreme Court ruled that CCTV footage is real evidence and that Gardaí could question McDonnell, ordering a retrial. McDonnell pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He later committed a robbery in May 2017 and was sentenced to four years and six months in February 2018. The court adjourned the case to July and ordered a report from the prison governor. The case is referred to as the AMcD case.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Arsonist who had acquittal overturned has "done the legal world some good", court hears. Charges or matters: arson; arson at Camden apartments, Dublin on August 19, 2011. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• May 2017 Incident
• August 19, 2011 Incident
• 2018-05-15 Publication

Why: During his initial trial in 2014, Judge Sarah Berkeley directed an acquittal after ruling that CCTV footage showing McDonnell committing the offences was inadmissible because the prosecution had not produced any proof of how the CCTV system worked. Prosecution account reported by CNI

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Sentence Theft

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Read the original CNI report