A mother of 10 who set fire to her council home because she felt her children were at risk from a violent father has received a two-year suspended sentence from the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. She lost custody of her children.
Jacqueline Orr (38) of Donomore Park, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to the criminal damage of her home on October 2nd, 2003.
Garda Keith Hartnet told Mr Damien Colgan, prosecuting, that gardaí were called to the house at 12.30am on October 2nd. The house was ablaze but no one was inside.
Orr initially denied she had set fire to the property but she quickly changed her story and took full responsibility. Garda Hartnet said Orr first set fire to a jacket in the hallway. She then evacuated all her children, who are aged between three and 17 years old. She then went back into the house and started a bigger fire with a fire lighter.
Orr remained in the burning house and a neighbour had to rescue her from it. Garda Hartnet agreed with Mr Gerry O'Brien SC, defending, that Orr's husband had been violent towards her and she feared her children were at risk from him. It was accepted that she felt by burning the house she would prevent her husband from seeing the children.