Man awaits sentencing for setting fire to Mercedes in Offaly

SENTENCING has been adjourned to April in the case of a Tullamore man found guilty of arson by a jury last July 2021. 

At last Monday’s sitting of Tullamore Circuit Court, Judge Keenan Jonson said he wanted to examine a forensic report on the case. 

Fred Dolan (55) with addresses at Chapel Street and Clonminch Wood, Tullamore, set fire to a Mercedes car which was parked on Harbour Street in Tullamore on June 9, 2018. Afterwards he went into the Tanyard Lane Pub on William Street. 

In his evidence to the court Garda Sheridan said that the victim, David White, had parked his car on Harbour Street and had left it unlocked at around 9.30pm that night. 

Mr White passed the car again at 10.30pm but didn’t notice anything. He had just bought 4 new tyres for the vehicle and filled it with petrol. The car was worth €1,500 and he planned on using it for a new job he had secured. 

Members of the public noticed smoke and flames coming from the back passenger side of the vehicle. The fire brigade was called and the car was removed for a technical inspection which revealed firelighters on the floor in the back of the vehicle.

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Gardai obtained CCTV from the Tanyard Lane Pub which showed a person approaching the vehicle. The person got into the vehicle and stayed there for three minutes. CCTV tracked the same person entering the Tanyard Lane Pub and footage showed him inside the pub where he was seen looking out through the window and door in the direction of where the car was parked. 

Mr Dolan confirmed it was him that was in the pub but didn’t accept that he was the man seen coming from the vehicle. He accepted he was wearing shorts, t-shirt and sandals as was the person walking from the vehicle. 

He was arrested and charged and released on station bail on December 17, 2019.

In his victim impact statement read in court, David White said that on the day in question he had just serviced his car as he was starting a new job. He had stayed with friends that night and when he returned to where he parked the car it was gone. When he reported it missing he was told it was in Clara. It was his only means to get to work and he had to organise a lift. He said he was lucky he didn’t lose his job. 

Mr Dolan had previous convictions for arson and in the 1990s he had started fires at Kinnitty Castle and at two hotels in Galway. He had previously received a three and a half year suspended sentence.

The court heard there was no history between Mr Dolan and Mr White and the first time they met was outside the courthouse where the two of them had chatted, neither of them realising who the other was. 

Judge Keenan Johnson commented that it was fortunate that the fire brigade arrived on time as it could have been much more serious and the car could  have exploded. 

Taking the witness stand, Fred Dolan said he now accepted that it was his actions that had caused the fire. He said he had gone back drinking. He realised that his actions had put an awful lot of people in danger. He was embarrassed and ashamed, but said he could put it down to the abuse of alcohol and medication. 

He said he had no recollection of the event. He said he was not in a position to pay back Mr White but given a chance he will  pay him back. He said he totally apologised.

Mr Dolan said he had been under stress due to the break up of his marriage and a business that didn’t go well. He said it was down to drinking and low mood. 

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Judge Keenan Johnson said a lot of people have low moods but don’t go around setting fire to cars and hotels. 

Mr Dolan said he had now stopped drinking and was on medication, one for depression and the other was an antipsychotic drug. He said he was ashamed in front of his children. 

He has been in prison since July and is now on an enhanced regime. He has an offer of a job from a person who wished to remain anonymous and a letter was handed in to the judge confirming a job offer. 

Judge Keenan Johnson adjourned the case to April 5, to study the forensic reports on the incident and remanded Mr Dolan in custody until then.