Ireland Case No. 5756Arson (criminal damage by fire) · Co. Kildare
Man arrested over two fires at vacant house in Leixlip, Co Kildare
Two fires in the early hours of Tuesday 30 January and Wednesday 7 February 2024 hit a vacant bungalow on the Celbridge Road in Leixlip, Co Kildare, which had been falsely rumoured to be earmarked for asylum seekers. No one was in the building during the February fire, which caused substantial damage. Gardaí arrested a man in his 40s on the morning of Tuesday 4 June 2024 in connection with the investigation. He was charged the same day with offences related to the investigation and with trespassing at the disused home on another occasion, and is due to appear in court at a later date.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrested4 Jun
2 reports - Charged5 Jun
2 reports - In court
- Verdict
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Two fires caused criminal damage by fire at a vacant bungalow in Leixlip, Co Kildare.
- Where
- The bungalow is on the Celbridge Road in Leixlip, Co Kildare.
- When
- The first fire occurred in the early hours of Tuesday 30 January 2024.
- The second fire occurred in the early hours of Wednesday 7 February 2024.
- A man in his 40s was arrested on the morning of Tuesday 4 June 2024 in connection with the investigation.
- Other details
- Sources differ on the February fire: the Irish Times said the bungalow was burned down, while other reports said it caused substantial damage.
- No people were in the building during the February 7 fire.
- The Department of Integration confirmed the rumours were false and that the site was not being considered for asylum seeker accommodation.
- Sources told the Irish Mirror that the man is a far-right activist, and gardaí investigations are ongoing.
- Cause
- The bungalow was targeted after false rumours spread online and locally that it would house asylum seekers or international protection applicants.
- Investigation
- Gardaí had been patrolling and monitoring the bungalow, but it was attacked twice.
- Sources differ on the man's detention: one report said he was being held at a Garda station in Co Kildare under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, while another said he was released from detention under that section.
- Charges
- The man was charged with offences related to the investigation and with trespassing at the disused home on Celbridge Road on another occasion.
- In court
- The man is due to appear in court at a later date.
44 statements extracted from the articles
- whatA man was arrested as part of an investigation into two instances of criminal damage by fire. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThere was an earlier instance of criminal damage at the building in late January. (irishtimes.com)
- whatTwo incidents of criminal damage by fire occurred in Leixlip, Co Kildare. (dublinlive.ie)
- whatGardaí are investigating two fires in Kildare and have arrested a man. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe property is a vacant bungalow on the Celbridge Road in Leixlip, Co Kildare. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe bungalow is on the Celbridge Road. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe disused site in Leixlip, Co Kildare, was targeted by arsonists. (dublinlive.ie)
- whereThe attacks targeted a site in Leixlip, Co Kildare, which was falsely rumoured to be earmarked for asylum seekers. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe targeted property was a disused home on Celbridge Road in Leixlip. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe incidents were criminal damage in Leixlip, Co Kildare. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe property was a vacant house on the Celbridge Road in Leixlip. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe bungalow was burned down in the early hours of 7 February. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe man, in his 40s, was arrested on Tuesday morning. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe fires occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, January 30 and Wednesday, February 7. (dublinlive.ie)
- whenThe two incidents of criminal damage by fire occurred in the early hours of 30 January and 7 February 2024. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe first incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday 30 January 2024. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe second incident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday 7 February 2024. (irishmirror.ie)
- causeThe property was falsely rumoured to be earmarked for asylum seeker accommodation. (irishtimes.com)
- causeFalse rumours spread online that the site would house international protection applicants. (dublinlive.ie)
- causeThe house was targeted after false rumours spread online that it would be used to house international protection applicants. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí were monitoring the bungalow at the time of the February incident. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí continue to investigate the circumstances of the two fires. (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationA suspect was arrested on suspicion of arson. (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationGardaí had been regularly patrolling the site, but it was attacked twice. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí arrested a suspect on the morning of Tuesday 4 June 2024 on suspicion of arson. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe man arrested on 4 June 2024 was released from detention under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí are investigating all the circumstances of the two incidents of criminal damage by fire. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationA male in his 40s was arrested on the morning of Tuesday 4 June 2024 in connection with the investigation. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationInvestigations are ongoing. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeA man was charged with offences related to the investigation. (dublinlive.ie)
- chargeThe man was also charged with trespassing at a vacant house on Celbridge Road in Leixlip on a separate occasion. (dublinlive.ie)
- chargeThe man was charged with trespassing at the disused home. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeThe man has been charged with offences related to the investigation. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe man is due to appear in court at a later date. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe Department of Integration confirmed the rumours were false. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe man is being held at a Garda station in Co Kildare under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe man was released from the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984. (dublinlive.ie)
- otherSources confirmed to the Irish Mirror that the man is a far-right activist. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherNo people were in the building during the February 7th incident. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe February 7th incident caused substantial damage to the property. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherOnline rumours claimed the house was to be used to house asylum seekers. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherGardaí said the rumour that the house would house asylum seekers was not true. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe Department of Integration confirmed the site was not being considered for housing asylum seekers. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe arrested man is detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, at a Garda station in Co Kildare. (irishmirror.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 5 Jun2024Man arrested in suspected arson probe at site falsely linked to asylum seekers
Reports that a man in his 40s was arrested on 4 June 2024 in connection with two fires in Leixlip, Co Kildare, on 30 January and 7 February 2024, and that he is detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984.
suspect, 40s, male - 5 Jun2024Far-right activist charged over fires on site falsely linked to asylum seekers
Reports the arrest on 4 June 2024 and charging of a man in his 40s over two fires at a disused home on Celbridge Road, Leixlip, on 30 January and 7 February 2024. Gardaí confirmed the charges; the article says he was charged with trespassing in one place and with offences related to the investigation in another, and is due before court at a later date.
accused, 40s, male - 5 Jun2024Far right activist charged after double arson attack on site
First report of a charge in the Leixlip arson case. It names the offences as criminal damage by fire and adds a separate trespassing charge; it also says the man was released under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984.
accused, 40s, male - 4 Jun2024Man arrested over fire at Co Kildare property falsely rumoured to be earmarked for asylum seekers
Reports the arrest of a man in his 40s on Tuesday 4 June 2024, and gives details of the February fire and an earlier January incident at the same property.
suspect, 40s, male