Jason Breen given suspended sentence for arson in Dublin

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

Jason Breen was given a three-year prison sentence, suspended in full, for arson at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Mary Ellen Ring imposed the condition that he keep the peace for three years. The proceedings were reported on 8 December 2014.

He pleaded guilty to arson. The offence took place at his sister’s home at St Anne’s Park, Dun Laoghaire, on 30 July 2013.

No one was inside the house when Breen poured petrol through an upstairs window. A neighbour entered the burning building to save a dog she believed was inside. The dog was later found unharmed in the yard.

Breen said he wanted to burn down the house because his sister had barred him and it was the last thing that had belonged to his late mother. He said he had not slept in nine days and was taking crack cocaine and “snow blow” at the time.

Defence counsel Caroline Biggs SC said Breen made immediate admissions when arrested. She said he came from “a dysfunctional and damaged background” and that his sister wanted him to get help rather than go to jail.

The judge noted that Breen had no previous convictions and had engaged fully in drug rehabilitation through a residential course at Coolmine treatment centre.