Courts / Dublin / Report

€400k up in smoke after Louis Copeland store set ablaze by addict

Date
2021-01-29

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

In July 2018 a homeless drug addict, Vaidas Pilibaitis, 46, entered the stockroom of a Louis Copeland menswear shop on Pembroke Street, Dublin, and accidentally set fire to a cardboard box of shirts while smoking. The blaze spread, causing nearly €400,000 in damage, and Pilibaitis suffered smoke inhalation and a badly injured arm after breaking a window to escape. He was caught by CCTV, left his rucksack and mobile at the scene, and later claimed no memory of the event. Pilibaitis pleaded guilty to one count of criminal damage. Judge Martin Nolan accepted that the fire was not intentional but reckless, sentencing him to two and a half years' imprisonment, noting a double sentence would have applied if the damage had been intentional. The case also involved a separate violent disorder charge pending sentencing. The store suffered extensive smoke damage, required repainting and replacement of props, and was closed for about a week.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: €400k up in smoke after Louis Copeland store set ablaze by addict. Charges or matters: one count of criminal damage at the shop on July 8, 2018; one count of violent disorder on Dame Street, Dublin, on October 15, 2018. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

July 2018 Hearing Or Sentence
July 8, 2018 Hearing Or Sentence
October 15, 2018 Incident
February 12 Incident
2021-01-29 Publication

Case subjects

Vaidas Pilibaitis

Defendant

Charges: one count of criminal damage at the shop on July 8, 2018; one count of violent disorder on Dame Street, Dublin, on October 15, 2018 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Handing down sentence, Judge Martin Nolan accepted that Pilibaitis had not intentionally set fire to the shop, but had done so "by his reckless behaviour". "He could have been incinerated or smothered by smoke," the judge said. He will be sentenced for that offence on February 12.