Case over Lambert Puppet Theatre arson dropped

Charges against a 16-year-old boy accused of an arson attack at Dublin's Lambert Puppet Theatre have been dropped.

The fire, on August 28th last, caused some €150,000 of damage to the Monkstown property - where programmes such as Bosco and Wanderly Wagon originated.

The boy was arrested and refused bail at Dublin Children’s Court in September after being charged with arson and burglary.

He had been expected to be sent forward for trial at the circuit court but Judge John O'Connor on Monday heard the Director of Public Prosecutions had directed the charges be withdrawn.

Defence counsel Damian McKeone asked the judge to dismiss rather than strike out the case, adding that the boy had spent some three months in custody.

Judge O’Connor dismissed the case and the teenager, accompanied in court by his mother, was released.

At earlier stages the State had sought an adjournment for directions from the DPP to be obtained while forensic evidence was awaited.

At the boy’s first hearing at the juvenile court on September 15th, Garda Neil Doyle objected to bail citing the seriousness of the case.

It was alleged that “the culprit entered the property, spending 45 minutes on the premises, ransacked an office and on noticing CCTV cameras the culprit started two fires, causing considerable damage to the theatre and high value puppets.”

The court previously heard the offences can carry maximum sentences of 10 and 14 years.

Garda Doyle said there was strong evidence and CCTV captured the boy in the vicinity at 6.15pm in a vehicle registered to his mother. His general description and clothing matched that of the person caught on CCTV in the Lambert Puppet Theatre, the court heard.

Judge O’Connor heard that at 8.45pm, CCTV showed the suspect running from the scene. The type of clothing worn by the intruder was allegedly found in his bedroom when searched by gardaí.

During the bail hearing, the defence said the case would be contested and there was no forensic evidence linking the boy to the scene.