Ireland Case No. 10364Aggravated burglary and arson · Co. Limerick · 10 Aug 2024
Man jailed for 10 years over home arson and harassment in Limerick
John Ryan (34), a man of Heather Grove, Dooradoyle, Limerick, pleaded guilty to harassing a woman on 3 June 2024. On 10 August 2024, while in breach of bail for that harassment, he broke into her home armed with chisels and set her house on fire. On 23 March 2026, Judge Simon McAleese at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court jailed him for 10 years, with the harassment sentence running concurrently, and ordered that he never communicate with the victim again.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced23 Mar
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- John Ryan broke into a woman's home armed with chisels and set her house on fire.
- Where
- The offences took place at the woman's home in County Limerick.
- When
- The aggravated burglary and arson took place on 10 August 2024.
- Charges
- Ryan pleaded guilty to harassing the woman on 3 June 2024.
- Investigation
- Ryan was in breach of bail for harassing the woman when the burglary and arson took place.
- Cause
- The judge said Ryan was suffering from severe depressive and psychological distress from past trauma at the time of the offending.
- Weapon
- Ryan was armed with chisels.
- In court
- Judge Simon McAleese at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court reduced a headline sentence of 15 years to 12 because of the guilty plea.
- Sentence
- Ryan was jailed for 10 years.
- The harassment sentence was reduced from two and a half years to one and a half years, and the two sentences run concurrently.
- The judge ordered that Ryan could never communicate with the victim again.
- Other details
- The victim said she lost her sense of safety and her mental health was damaged.
- The sentencing was reported by limerickpost.ie on 23 March 2026.
12 statements extracted from the articles
- whatA man broke into a woman's home armed with chisels and set her house on fire. (limerickpost.ie)
- whereThe accused is from Heather Grove, Dooradoyle, Limerick. (limerickpost.ie)
- whenThe aggravated burglary and arson took place at the woman's home on 10 August 2024. (limerickpost.ie)
- causeThe judge said that at the time of the offending Ryan was suffering from severe depressive and psychological distress from past trauma. (limerickpost.ie)
- weaponThe man was armed with chisels. (limerickpost.ie)
- courtRyan pleaded guilty to harassing the woman on 3 June 2024. (limerickpost.ie)
- courtThe judge reduced a headline sentence of 15 years to 12 because of the guilty plea. (limerickpost.ie)
- sentenceRyan was jailed for 10 years by Judge Simon McAleese at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court. (limerickpost.ie)
- sentenceThe harassment sentence was reduced from two and a half years to one and a half years. (limerickpost.ie)
- sentenceThe two sentences are to run concurrently. (limerickpost.ie)
- sentenceThe judge ordered that Ryan could never communicate with the victim again. (limerickpost.ie)
- otherThe victim said she lost her sense of safety and her mental health was damaged. (limerickpost.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 23 Mar2026Man jailed for 10 years after harassing woman and setting her home on fire
Reports the sentence of 10 years imposed by Judge Simon McAleese, the headline sentence reductions, the harassment conviction and sentence, the defendant's psychological assessment, and the victim's impact statement.
convicted, John Ryan, 34, male, named, irish (judged from name)John Ryanvictim, female