Booze-fuelled arsonist who torched Orange Hall is jailed for two years
A MAN who downed 15 drinks and then set fire to an Orange Hall in Co Donegal, causing around £315,000 of damage, has been jailed for two years.
Damien Murray and another man, Eamonn McGill, appeared at a special sitting of Letterkenny Circuit Court for sentencing.
The court was told that fire ripped through Convoy Orange Hall on October 3, 2014.
As well as completely gutting the building, hundreds of years of history and irreplaceable artefacts were destroyed in the blaze.
On the same night, the front door of Convoy Presbyterian Church, some 600 yards from the Orange Hall, was kicked in.
A major Garda investigation led gardai to interview Murray, now 36, and McGill, now 34.
Murray, a father-of-four, admitted using a lighter to set the Charged: Damien Murray and Eamonn McGill
Orange Hall on fire.
McGill, a father-of-two, was only charged with criminal damage to the church door. Gardai matched an Adidas trainer taken from his partner’s house in Strabane to a footprint on the door.
The court heard that a total of €358,587 (£315,062) in damage was caused to the Orange Hall but that insurance had paid out €220,000 (£193,296) of this cost. The hall has been refurbished.
Barrister for Murray, John Smith, said his client suffered an alcohol addiction and was a victim of post-traumatic stress disorder after his family were held captive when he was a boy.
Barrister for McGill, Peter Nolan, said his client was prepared to pay €1,700 (£1,493) to the Presbyterian community to compensate for the damage.
Judge Sean O Donnabhain sentenced McGill, of Machmeendstown, Convoy but who now lives in Strabane, Co Tyrone to two years in prison, but suspended the term for two years.
He also ordered McGill to pay €2,000 to the Donegal Hospice, a charity nominated by members of the Presbyterian community.
Judge O Donnabhain considered five years in prison was merited, but because Murray made an early plea and was unlikely to reoffend, he was reducing the sentence to two years, with three suspended.