Karl McCarthy sentenced to six years for criminal damage

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

Karl McCarthy was sentenced to six years for criminal damage at Galway Circuit Criminal Court, reported on 11 April 2017. He had pleaded guilty to setting fire to two cars in Galway on consecutive nights the previous October. The sentences for both offences were ordered to run concurrently.

The court heard that McCarthy admitted setting fire to the cars, which had been damaged at the same location. Judge Rory McCabe said using scissors to help burn them showed premeditation, while an early guilty plea was the only mitigating factor identified in the report.

The judge recommended psychological assessment in prison. The report said McCarthy had previous convictions, including for arson and criminal damage, and described his risk of reoffending as very high.

This report covers an earlier stage of the case. Later developments are not reported here.