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Serial arsonist twice damaged hotel by lighting bins on fire

Summary

Sean Howard, aged 32, was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment for arson after a fire he claimed was started to keep warm spiralled out of control. The blaze began when he lit a piece of cardboard in a bin behind the Temple Bar Hotel in Dublin on 28 April 2019 while intoxicated and under the influence of drugs. The fire melted the bins, damaged the hotel's back wall, boiler and double metal doors, and forced the evacuation of 236 guests. Howard pleaded guilty to arson at the hotel and to a prior arson on 3 April 2019, which caused €3,000 of damage and required the evacuation of two rooms. He has 132 previous convictions, including three for arson, and the judge cited his substance use as a major problem. The sentence was three and a half years, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Serial arsonist twice damaged hotel by lighting bins on fire. Charges or matters: arson at Temple Bar Hotel, Adare Lane on April 28, 2019; arson on this date. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• April 28, 2019 Hearing Or Sentence
• April 3, 2019 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2019-12-17 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Drugs Stage Sentence

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Read the original CNI report