BY DAVID FORSYTHE
A CASTLETOWNBERE man who was sentenced to eight months in prison for an arson attack has successfully appealed the severity of the sentence in the Circuit Court.
Martin Keating, 34, of Main Street, pleaded guilty in September to one count of criminal damage and one count of arson relating to an incident in June 2024.
State solicitor Jeremiah Healy told Bantry Circuit Court that arising from the incident Mr Keating had caused an estimated €2,500 worth of damage to the injured party’s car. The injured party had parked her car on Main Street and was informed it had been broken into. She reported the incident to gardaí and a short time later Martin Keating was seen walking out of O’Sullivan’s Bar carrying ‘a flaming rag’ which he then threw inside the car. An off-duty fire officer saw the incident and was able to put out the fire.
Mr Keating admitted the offences and had told the court he had been in a relationship with the injured party but the relationship had ended. The court heard that Mr Keating believed the car belonged to the injured party’s husband and there were ‘hostilities’ between him and Mr Keating.
Barrister Peter O’Flynn said his client was ‘from a good family background’ and had a masters. But he had addiction issues since his teens and had managed to overcome his drug dependency.
Mr O’Flynn said the incident was ‘totally out of character’ and a one-off. He told the court that Mr Keating was working part-time and would make amends financially and also wished to offer his sincere apologies to the court.
Judge Dermot Sheehan said: ‘He is still young and well qualified and he’s had a life blighted by addiction. It was a terrible thing to do but I don’t believe a custodial sentence is appropriate.’
The eight-month prison sentence was suspended for 12 months on condition that he keeps the peace and is of good behaviour and lodges €2,500 with Bandon gardaí before April 11th as compensation for the injured party.
