HOUSE IS SET ON FIRE
Extensive damage to house linked to man accused of assault
A VACANT HOUSE set on fire last Friday night is linked to a Bray man accused of attacking an elderly woman.
The fire occurred at 6 Hazelwood in Fassaroe, right, at around 9.30 p.m. last Friday. This is the address given in court for Jamie O’Brien (22).
Members of the O’Brien family had vacated the Wicklow County Council property prior to this incident.
Two units of Bray Fire Service attended the fire. There was extensive damage to the home.
Gardai in Bray are investigating the cause of the fire and appeal for anyone with any information to come forward. Bray Garda Station can be contacted at 01 6665300.
A HOUSE linked to a man accused of attacking an elderly woman was set on fire last Friday night.
The fire was at 6 Hazelwood, Fassaroe, Bray, the address given in court for Jamie O’Brien, who remains in custody.
His mother Helena O’Brien (41) and other family members had left the property in recent months and sought to be re-housed by Wicklow County Council.
O’Brien (22) stands accused of the false imprisonment and serious assault of Eva Sutton (90), which allegedly occurred at her Dublin Road home on September 10, 2015.
Detective Inspector Frank Keenaghan of Bray Garda Station said that there was criminal damage to the house initially, in the 24 hours leading up to the fire.
He said that some windows were broken and items daubed on the walls.
Det Insp Keenaghan said that gardai are not aware of any threats made to the family. ‘Nobody from the house has come forward and said that they felt under threat. They did look to be rehoused,’ he said.
Helena O’Brien appeared in Bray District Court on a public order matter on Thursday, June 22. A barrister indicated to the court that Mrs O’Brien intended to move home in a number of weeks.
The fire occurred on Friday night at around 9.30 p.m. Nobody was in the local authority property at the time.
Det Insp Keenaghan said that the gardai made the council aware of the incident.
He said that gardai are actively investigating the matter. Their investigations include going through CCTV footage of people buying quantities of petrol at filling stations.
He said that they have interviewed a number of witnesses and are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.
He said that quite a considerable amount of work must be done in order to make the house habitable.
The house had been sealed off on foot of the criminal damage and because it was vacated.
Two crews of Bray Fire Service were dispatched to Fassaroe on Friday night. There was extensive damage throughout the property.
They got the fire under control fairly quickly and were there for approximately 90 minutes, ensuring that the scene was secure.