A youth who petrol-bombed a caretaker's home because he believed the man was a vigilante has been jailed for 27 months by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The man's family were in the house when the petrol bomb smashed against their living-room window, the court heard.
Garda Paul Russell said Mark Russell was one of two youths who attacked the house and later claimed that the caretaker was a vigilante who was giving them "hassle". His co-accused had since gone on the run. Russell (18) of St Ronan's Terrace Garden, Clondalkin, pleaded guilty to criminal damage at Foxdene Drive, Clondalkin, on April 20th, 1998.
Judge Dominic Lynch noted that Russell's victim has since given up his job and feels intimidated. He accepted Russell was making efforts to end his drug addiction and ordered that the sentence begin from today's date.