Two men who caused damage of £23,000 by setting fire to a Church of Ireland church in Rush, Co Dublin, during the Drumcree incidents in Co Armagh in July 1996 have been given five years' suspended sentences by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Gary Ryan (22) and Nigel Capper (22), from St Maurs Park, Rush, pleaded guilty to arson at the church in Rush Demesne on July 15th, 1996.
In reply to Ms Pauline Walley, for the prosecution, Sgt Joseph Rose said the fire was discovered quickly. However, the porch and roof were damaged and the church was out of commission for some time. It was very old and had not been insured.
The community raised funds to repair the church, which was now open again. Ryan's family subscribed £5,000 to supplement work done under a FAS scheme to restore the church.
Sgt Rose agreed with Mr George Birmingham, counsel for Ryan, and Ms Isobel Kennedy, counsel for Capper, that neither man had any political or subversive connection. Both came from decent families who were terribly ashamed of what had happened.
The crime was motivated by the alcohol which the pair had consumed before they heard news of a Drumcree incident. They made petrol bombs from milk bottles and threw them at the church. Both made statements when arrested.
Sgt Rose agreed the two men were never in trouble before and he did not believe they would be in trouble again.
Judge Kieran O'Connor noted the rector of the church, the Rev Ron Watts, had acted in "a most Christian manner" by forgiving the pair and had appealing that they not be jailed. The rector had also acknowledged the payment of £5,000 towards the repair work by Ryan's family.
Judge O'Connor said the pair had been saved from jail by their lack of previous convictions and their guilty pleas. He had at first believed he would have to jail them as drink was no excuse for crime.
He placed both under probation for two years and ordered Capper to return to the court on October 15th, 1998, with £1,000 towards the cost of repairing the church. He is to pay the first £500 through Sgt Rose as soon as he has it.