A trainee manager who caused £287,000 damage by fire to Killiney Castle Hotel has been remanded by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for sentence. A Garda witness suggested that David Smyth wanted to be a hero by being seen to get people to safety to cover up for District Court prosecutions which arose from his alcohol problem.
Smyth (20) of Killea Road, Dunmore East, Waterford, pleaded guilty to three charges of committing arson at the hotel on February 23rd, September 15th and December 14th, 1996. Garda Conlaith Mulhall told prosecuting counsel Ms Isobel Kennedy the first fire was started by Smyth in a linen press. An English guest raised the alarm with Smyth, who helped get people to safety. Damage caused amounted to almost £7,000.
Some guests had to break windows to make their escape on the occasion of the September 15th fire. Damage amounted to some £250,000.
There were about 1,000 people in the hotel on the December occasion as a result of several Christmas functions.
The fire was started by Smyth near a ground floor suite. Damage cost £600.
Judge Joseph Mathews said Smyth was "a rare and unusual danger to society" and appeared to him to have an underlying behavioural problem as well as his alcohol problem. Garda Mulhall said he believed Smyth thought he would be regarded as a hero in getting people to safety in the fires, which he started to cover up for the fact that he had been in trouble with the law on two drink-related charges. Defence counsel Ms Marie Torrens suggested her client's behaviour was "nothing short of amazing". He appeared to be out of touch with reality at the time. Smyth was highly regarded as a worker by all who knew him and had several testimonials in court.
Garda Mulhall said he felt Smyth was more concerned with losing his job at the hotel than with the danger posed to the hotel's clients.
In evidence, Smyth accepted he was in serious trouble. He said he had a serious alcohol problem at the time and also had a problem then with life in general. He was undergoing counselling for his alcohol problem and knew he could never drink again. Mrs Ann Smyth, the defendant's mother, said he was now living at home and was in full-time employment. His employer knew about these charges. Judge Mathews remanded Smyth on continuing bail for sentence on October 7th.