Man charged with arson after fire destroyed home seized by CAB from gang boss Liam Byrne

A MAN has been charged with arson caused by a serious fire who destroyed a house confiscated by gang boss Liam Byrne’s Office of Criminal Assets.

Joseph Richards, 28, of Belclare Drive, Ballymun, Dublin, was arrested at his home on Friday and detained at Ballyfermot Garda Station under Section Four of the Criminal Justice Act of 1984.

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He was charged with arson of a house, owned by CAB, on Grangeview Road, Clondalkin, Dublin 22.

It was badly damaged by fire shortly after midnight on August 12.

Richards appeared before Judge John Hughes in Dublin District Court on Saturday and was denied bail.

Garda Detective Chris O’Sullivan said Richards did not respond when he was charged.

Objecting to bail due to the severity of the case, Detective Gda O’Sullivan said a Volvo 4X4 and a Vauxhall Vectra are alleged to have arrived at the home, which was empty and secured with steel plates and steel doors.

HOUSE IN CALL

The Volvo was alleged to have been inverted by the front of the house and left “lodged in the living room window.”

He said: “An accelerator was used which caused an explosion in the vehicle and the house.”

It took firefighters 45 minutes to cut through the steel plates and doors to extinguish the fire, the court heard.

It was estimated that property damage exceeded € 100,000 was caused.

Neighboring houses were badly damaged as well, the judge was told.

Det Gda O’Sullivan told the court that CAB had seized the house under the Byrne Assets of Crime Act 1996, before Raleigh Square, Crumlin, Dublin.

SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE

The court heard Byrne “believed to be a member of organized crime at the highest level in the state.”

It was alleged that the defendants purchased the two vehicles on August 6 and were registered under false names and addresses.

He was also alleged to have participated in the arson.

Cross-examined by defense attorney Michelle Finan, Detective Gda O’Sullivan said a large body of evidence had been gathered and accepted that the CCTV footage was unclear.

PRAYER OF POSSIBLE LIFE

The crime can carry life imprisonment.

Roberts did not address the court and has not yet indicated how he will testify.

Pleading for bail, his attorney told the court that his client would meet strict conditions.

Judge Hughes said the defendant had the presumption of innocence and the presumption of bail and that it could take up to two years until his trial.

However, he maintained the standard required to deny that the prosecution had honored the bond.

Legal aid was granted to Mr. Richards, who is unemployed and receiving social assistance.

It will appear via video link Tuesday in Cloverhill District Court.