Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 6439Arson · Co. Cork · 25 Feb 2024

Man charged over arson attacks on five Cork city centre stores

On Sunday 25 February 2024, fires were reported at five Cork city centre stores (TK Maxx, Lifestyle Sports, Superdry, Next and Boots) in the Patrick Street, Half Moon Street, Opera Lane and Cornmarket Street areas, and the stores were evacuated; no one was injured. Samuel Nunes Neto, a 23-year-old man of no fixed abode, was charged with five counts of causing criminal damage by fire. At Cork District Court no bail application was made, he was remanded in custody, free legal aid was granted, and a preliminary psychiatric report was ordered. The latest development is that he is due to appear by video link before Cork District Court on 6 March 2024.

  1. Reported26 Feb
    3 reports
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Charged25 Feb
    2 reports
  4. In court28 Feb
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Fires were reported at five stores in Cork city centre: TK Maxx, Lifestyle Sports, Superdry, Next and Boots outlets.
  • The stores were evacuated, smoke was reported inside Boots on Half Moon Street, and the fire brigade received four other calls from nearby premises.
Where
The affected shops were in the Patrick Street, Half Moon Street, Opera Lane and Cornmarket Street areas of Cork city.
When
The incidents took place on Sunday, 25 February 2024, with the first alarm raised shortly after 5.15pm; one source gives about 5.30pm for a blaze on Grand Parade.
Cause
Stock is believed to have been set alight intentionally, and a fire officer said one person may have been responsible for all the attacks.
Other details
  • No one was injured, and fire crews from Anglesea Street and Ballyvolane brought each incident quickly under control.
  • Some shops had minor fire damage and others more serious damage; one store's stock damage was estimated at about €100,000, mainly from smoke, while no official cost figures were given.
Investigation
  • Gardaí launched an investigation, Scenes of Crime Unit technical examinations were carried out, and the Garda Technical Bureau will determine what was used to start the fires.
  • Gardaí did not comment on whether arrests had been made; the defence said the accused made full admissions in custody at Bridewell Garda Station, corroborated by CCTV taken from the premises.
Charges
Samuel Nunes Neto, a 23-year-old man of no fixed abode, was charged with five counts of causing criminal damage by fire.
In court
  • He appeared before Cork District Court, where no bail application was made and he was remanded in custody; one notice gave 27 February 2024 as the appearance date, while reports say he appeared on 28 February.
  • Free legal aid was granted, and the judge agreed that a preliminary psychiatric report be prepared in prison.
  • The defence asked the judge to recommend a full psychiatric evaluation while the accused is in custody.
  • He is due to appear before Cork District Court by video link on 6 March 2024.
57 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatFive stores in Cork city centre were targeted in an arson attack on the evening before the article. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatTK Maxx, Lifestyle Sports, Superdry, Next and Boots outlets in the city were evacuated following the arson attacks. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe fire brigade received four other calls from nearby premises. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatSome shops had minor fire damage while others had more serious damage. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatGardaí are investigating a number of incidents of criminal damage by fire at retail premises. (corkbeo.ie)
  • whatThe affected shops included outlets of TK Maxx, Superdry, Lifestyle Sports, Next and Boots. (corkbeo.ie)
  • whereThe criminal damage incidents occurred in Cork City. (garda.ie)
  • whereThe attacks targeted five stores in Cork city centre. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereTK Maxx, Lifestyle Sports, Superdry, Next and Boots outlets were evacuated following the arson attacks. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereCork City Fire Brigade was first called to an incident at a store on Patrick Street. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe fires were in shops across Cork city centre. (corkbeo.ie)
  • whereA blaze broke out at a business on Grand Parade at about 5.30pm. (corkbeo.ie)
  • whereSmoke was reported inside Boots Chemists on Half Moon Street. (corkbeo.ie)
  • whereThe affected shops were in the Patrick Street, Half Moon Street, Opera Lane and Cornmarket Street areas of Cork city. (corkbeo.ie)
  • whenThe incidents occurred on Sunday, 25 February 2024. (garda.ie)
  • whenThe alarm was raised shortly after 5.15pm on 25 February 2024. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe alarm was raised shortly after 5.15pm on Sunday. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe fires were reported late on Sunday afternoon, 25 February 2024. (corkbeo.ie)
  • whenThe fires were reported on a Sunday afternoon. (corkbeo.ie)
  • whenThe first call came in shortly after 5.15pm. (corkbeo.ie)
  • whenThe fires were set on 25 February 2024 in Cork city centre. (corkbeo.ie)
  • causeStock is believed to have been set alight intentionally. (corkbeo.ie)
  • investigationA garda probe into criminal damage is ongoing. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationScenes of Crime Unit technical examinations have been carried out. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationThe Garda Technical Bureau will determine what was used to start the fires. (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
  • investigationA Garda investigation has been launched into the incident. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationCrime scenes unit technical examinations have been conducted. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationIt is understood one person may have been involved in all four incidents. (corkbeo.ie)
  • investigationGardaí provided no comment on whether any arrests had been made. (corkbeo.ie)
  • investigationTechnical examinations have been carried out by the Scenes of Crime Unit. (corkbeo.ie)
  • investigationInvestigations are ongoing. (corkbeo.ie)
  • investigationThe accused made full admissions while in custody at Bridewell Garda Station in Cork city. (corkbeo.ie)
  • investigationThe defence said the admissions are corroborated by CCTV gardaí took from the premises. (corkbeo.ie)
  • chargeGardaí charged a man in his 20s in connection with the incidents. (garda.ie)
  • chargeGardaí charged a man in his 20s in connection with several criminal damage incidents in Cork City. (corkbeo.ie)
  • chargeSamuel Nunes Neto was charged with five counts of causing criminal damage by fire. (corkbeo.ie)
  • courtThe man is due to appear before Cork District Court on Wednesday, 27 February 2024. (garda.ie)
  • courtThe man was due to appear before Cork District Court later that morning. (corkbeo.ie)
  • courtThere was no application for bail. (corkbeo.ie)
  • courtThe accused was remanded in custody to appear before Cork District Court by video link on 6 March. (corkbeo.ie)
  • courtThe judge agreed that a preliminary psychiatric report be prepared in prison. (corkbeo.ie)
  • courtFree legal aid was granted in the case. (corkbeo.ie)
  • otherA fire officer said it was possible that one person was responsible for all the attacks. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherOne store said the damage could exceed €100,000, mainly from smoke. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherNo one was injured in the incidents. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherEach incident was quickly brought under control by the fire brigade. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherOne store has experienced about €100,000 in damage to its stock. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe damage in one store could be more than €100,000 because of smoke damage to stock. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherNo one was injured in the incident. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherEach incident was quickly brought under control by the city fire brigade. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherFire crews from Anglesea Street and Ballyvolane were deployed to tackle the fires. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherNo serious damage or injuries were reported. (corkbeo.ie)
  • otherAlarms were also tripped at Lifestyle Sports, Superdry and TK Maxx. (corkbeo.ie)
  • otherStaff in all the stores responded quickly and cleared the premises without incident. (corkbeo.ie)
  • otherAn estimated €100,000 of stock was damaged in at least one store. (corkbeo.ie)
  • otherNo figures were given for the cost of the damage. (corkbeo.ie)
  • otherThe defence asked the judge to recommend a full psychiatric evaluation while the accused is in custody. (corkbeo.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 28 Feb2024
    In courtcorkbeo.ie, first report
    Man, 20s, appears in court charged with arson attacks on Cork stores

    First report on this case. Adds the charges, the affected stores, the remand in custody, the request and order for psychiatric reports, and the grant of free legal aid.

    accused, Samuel Nunes Neto, 23, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Samuel Nunes Neto
  2. 28 Feb2024
    Chargedcorkbeo.ie, follow-up
    Young man due in court this morning in connection with fires in Cork city stores

    Reports that gardaí charged a man in his 20s over the Cork city centre store fires and that he would appear before Cork District Court. It adds the charge and court appearance, and the estimated stock damage.

    accused, 20s, male
  3. 26 Feb2024
    Reportedcorkbeo.ie, follow-up
    Gardaí launch investigation into arson attacks on Cork city retailers

    Early report of the fires on 25 February 2024 at four Cork city centre stores. No arrests had been made and Gardaí declined to comment on whether any had been made. The case record covers a later charge of five counts of arson.

    suspect
  4. 26 Feb2024
    Reportedirishtimes.com, follow-up
    Garda investigation under way after five Cork city stores targeted in arson attack

    Original press coverage of the arson attacks on five Cork city centre stores. It gives the fire brigade's account, the estimated stock damage and the Garda technical investigation, and names none of the stores' attackers.

  5. 26 Feb2024
    Reportedirishmirror.ie, follow-up
    Shop targeted in Cork city arson attack suffers €100k worth of damage to stock

    Earlier coverage of the same evening's attacks, published before the later charge. Adds the store names, a damage estimate of over €100,000 for one shop (mainly smoke damage), that no one was injured, and the fire officer's view that one person may have been responsible.

  6. 25 Feb2024
    Chargedgarda.ie, follow-up
    Court Appearance - Criminal Dmage Incidents at Premises in Cork City - 25th February 2024

    Gardaí describe the charge as relating to a number of criminal damage incidents in Cork City and give the court date of 27 February 2024. The article does not name the suspect or mention fire.

    accused, 20s, male