Gillian Philip sentenced for damaging neighbour’s property with fire

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Gillian Philip received a two-and-a-half-year sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 4 October 2017. Judge Karen O’Connor suspended the balance of the sentence from that date on strict conditions.

Philip had pleaded guilty to damaging her neighbour’s property with fire. The offence occurred on 21 October 2015. The proceedings were reported on 4 October 2017.

Garda Robert Whitty told the court that he responded to a reported house fire in Fortunestown, Tallaght. One of two children in the house saw Philip push flaming laminated paper through the letterbox. The children put out the fire with water; the hall carpet was scorched, but the children were not injured.

Whitty said Philip initially denied involvement after her arrest that evening but soon admitted pushing the paper through the letterbox. Sean Gillane SC, defending, said a dispute over bins had motivated her. He argued that she had not intended to harm the residents and that the carpet damage was minor.

The judge described the act as reckless and said the consequences of an arson attack could not be controlled. She noted Philip’s limited cognitive function and took account of her early guilty plea, letter of remorse and positive use of her time in custody.