Courts / Dublin / Report
Arsonist in landmark case sentenced after previous acquittal
Summary
Anthony McDonnell, a 27‑year‑old Dublin man, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for arson after a Supreme Court‑ordered retrial overturned his 2014 acquittal. The original trial had acquitted him because the prosecution failed to produce evidence of how the CCTV system operated, making the footage inadmissible, and because alleged admissions during Garda interviews were ruled inadmissible under the right‑to‑silence rules. The Supreme Court held that CCTV footage was real evidence and that Gardaí could question McDonnell about his presence at the crime scene. McDonnell pleaded guilty to setting fire to a car that caused €77,000 of damage to an apartment block and destroyed two vehicles. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a six‑year sentence, suspending the final two and a half years, and ordered 18 months of probation supervision and mandatory training.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Arsonist in landmark case sentenced after previous acquittal. Charges or matters: arson when the Supreme Court overturned an earlier acquittal for the offence; arson; arson at Camden apartments, Dublin on August 19, 2011. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- May 2017 Incident
- August 19, 2011 Incident
- 2018-07-20 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
Defendant
Charges: arson when the Supreme Court overturned an earlier acquittal for the offence; arson; arson at Camden apartments, Dublin on August 19, 2011 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: He was sentenced four years and six months for this offence. Today Judge Melanie Greally imposed a six-year sentence with the final two and a half years suspended, on strict conditions.
Places mentioned
- Supreme Court
- The Supreme Court
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
- St Teresas Gardens
- Dublin
Topics
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