COURT: Parochial house in Kildare substantially damaged in fire

The parochial house in Athy was broken into and set on fire after the parish priest twice gave money to a man who approached him for help, it was alleged at Naas District Court.

Before the court was James Rowan,  45, stated to be of no fixed abode, who faces allegations of criminal damage and burglary on February 18.

The court was told that hundreds of thousands of euro worth of damage was caused to the premises.

Garda Ken McDonald claimed before the court that the property was broken into and set on fire.

He said the defendant called to the house for money and was given €10 by parish priest Fr Liam Rigney to get a bus to Dublin. The defendant returned later asking for €2.50 for a cup of tea, which was given to him by Fr Rigney, who then left.

The garda said it will be alleged the defendant stole cash and items.  The defendant was seen on CCTV carrying a pillow case containing a number of items and he was arrested two days after the incident.

Cross-examined by solicitor Brian Larkin, Gda McDonald said CCTV images do not show the man setting the house on fire.

The  garda objected to bail being granted and said the man has a hatred towards the clergy and the priesthood. He feared he would commit further crime to feed a drug habit.

He claimed the defendant said Fr Rigney should have been tied to the bed and burned in it. He further claimed he said ”ninety per cent of priests in the country should be drowned.”

Fire brigade personnel attended the scene but there is smoke and water damage and the house cannot be lived in.

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It's claimed that the defendant used a shovel he found to smash two windows to get access. The pillow case was taken from the house, the garda added, and the defendant was seen with it in a car park.

Gda McDonald described the defendant as a chronic drug addict and he has not admitted the offence.

Mr Larkin said the defendant took his first drug, cannabis, at 15 years and “graduated” to other substances like heroin. He added the defendant has nothing against Fr Rigney.

The defendant said he did not bear the priest any ill will. He said he was “molested years ago” but “that is dealt with.”

He added he has a friend who is a priest and undertook to stay away from Fr Rigney if granted bail.

He wants to get into treatment for addiction and his counsellor is willing to arrange this. He said he had a stent inserted after having a heart attack at 40 and his mother died of a heart attack at 50.

Referring to the defendant’s claim of being molested, Judge Desmond Zaidan said “you cannot taint all priests or clerics with the same brush.”

He said some of the comments allegedly made by the defendant “would send shivers down your spine” though they could have been made out of frustration.

“The priest was good to him. He welcomed him twice and gave him €10 and €2.50.”

The defendant is presumed innocent, the judge added, and “you’d have to be inhuman not to feel sorry for drug addicts.”

If he could send the man to a treatment centre he would.

Ne refused him bail and remanded him in custody.

The judge also directed that he receive medical treatment in custody and the defendant criticised the lack of medical services available in prisons.