A PUBLICAN accused of murdering his wife and a child told Gardai he dropped a lighted match on petrol which had spilled in the hall of his home, a murder trial jury heard yesterday.
Sgt Patsy Glennon told the court Mr Francis McCann (36) said "I burned my fingers. There are flames everywhere. There was burning. It just went whoosh."
Asked why he had brought petrol into the house, Mr McCann said. "I was going to finish it off. I was going to clear up the mess, me, Esther and Jessica."
The Adoption Board had refused to let him and his wife, Esther (36), adopt 18 month old Jessica because of allegations that he had fathered a child by one of his swimming students, the sergeant added.
He was giving evidence at the Central Criminal Court on the 30th day of the trial of Mr McCann who has denied the murders of Mrs McCann and baby Jessica, at the family home at Butterfield Avenue, Rathfarnham, Dublin, on September 4th, 1992.
The jury has heard that Jessica was a blood relative of the accused man, but not a child of his marriage. The prosecution claims Mr McCann arranged the fire because he did not want to tell his wife why the Adoption Board had refused the couple's application to adopt Jessica.
Sgt Glennon said Mr McCann agreed to make a statement to gardai in the presence of his solicitor and two brothers, Michael and Bernard, at Tallaght Garda station on November 6th, 1992.
During the making of the statement Mr McCann talked about the fire as if he were reliving it. He said in the statement. "It's all my fault. I am the problem. It is me that caused all the problems. I have to leave, I have to get away."
He said he got a plastic drum of petrol from the garden and brought it into the house. The can fell over and it had no top. "The petrol spilled out. I pulled the can back up very quickly. I am standing at the front door. I have the matches in my hand. I am striking the match. I'm holding the match," he said.
At this stage, at 1.22 p.m., Mr McCann was told he was being released from his arrest under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act. The gardai left the interview room and he had a consultation with his solicitor and his brothers before leaving the Garda station.
He returned voluntarily at 1.25 p.m. and continued the interview at 1.29 pm. He said he knocked the can of petrol over. "I struck the match. My head is thumping, I hear my heart. It is in my hand. My head is splitting. Then I could hear my heart thump, thump, thump. I burned my fingers. There are flames everywhere. There was burning. It just went whoosh."
He fell out of the front door and the hall was in flames Mr McCann said.
Mr McCann had his head in his hands and his hands were shaking Sgt Glennon said. Mr McCann continued. "I am backing away, the heat, flames everywhere. It is all flames. I am on the flower bed. I am running.
He got into his car and drove very fast and said. "I have to go back. Esther and Jessica, I have to go back."
He did not know what was in his mind when he brought the petrol into the house. "All I can see is the flames. I'd do anything to get them back."
Earlier Sgt Glennon said he met Mr McCann at a house in Cypress Downs in Dublin on October 21st after Mr McCann had requested a meeting.
They chatted for several hours and finally Mr McCann told him about the problem relating to the Adoption Board's decision. Allegations had been made that he had fathered a child by a young girl who was 17 at the time. He said there was also an allegation that he had had sexual relations with the girl, who was one of his swimming students, when she was a juvenile.
Sgt Glennon said that Mr McCann denied he was the father of the child and said his marriage had been in great difficulty, but his wife was coming to terms with it at the time of the fire.
Mr McCann said his solicitor told him that he and Esther could keep Jessica and apply again for adoption after seven years.
Sgt Glennon said he and Det Garda Pat Walsh interviewed Mr McCann at Tallaght Garda station on November 6th, 1992.
Mr McCann told him he had started the fire. "I was meant to go up along with Esther and Jessica. Esther and I had discussed it and decided it was the best way to clear up the mess. Esther didn't know the problems with the Adoption Board."
He also told them that if Jessica's natural mother and her boyfriend got back together she would get Jessica back because he would have no control. Mr McCann also said Mrs McCann did not know he was the father of a child.
Sgt Glennon said Mr McCann went silent when he put it to him that he had never discussed a suicide pact with his wife. Later he agreed to make a statement to gardai in the presence of his brothers and his solicitor.
The trial before Mr Justice Carney and a jury continues on Monday.