An Englishman has been jailed for two years for arson of a bus in what Judge Kevin Haugh at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court said was probably the most bizarre case he might ever hear.
Michael O'Hara gave himself up to Clontarf gardai shortly after setting fire to the double-deck vehicle at the nearby Bus Atha Cliath depot before 8 a.m. on July 14th, 1998.
Garda Greg Mektarian said O'Hara had only arrived in Dublin and had nowhere to stay when he burned the bus.
He then came to the Garda station and admitted the offence which caused £25,000 damage to the bus.
He said O'Hara could probably have remained undetected but for his voluntary admission.
O'Hara (35), a qualified fitter, from Thompson's Avenue, Culcheth, Warrington, England, had caused £100,000 damage to two coaches in Jersey and had also set fire to a truck in Dublin some years ago. He was dealt with in the District Court for the previous Dublin offence on condition that he leave the country.